The Financial Impact of Domestic Partner Benefits in New Hampshire

Publication Date: December 2006

Publisher:

Author(s): M.V. Lee Badgett

Research Area: Economics; Law and ethics

Type: Report

Abstract:

What would be the financial implications of offering domestic partner benefits to state employees in New Hampshire? Recent scholarly research and information from government agencies lead to the following findings: 1. Health insurance benefits are an important form of compensation, and employers are important sources of health care coverage. 2. Employers are increasingly offering the same health care benefits to the same-sex domestic partners of their employees as are offered to spouses of employees. 3. Health care costs for the State and local employers would increase by a small amount. 4. Some of the added cost to the State will be offset by lower spending on Medicaid and uncompensated health care, and by lower training and recruitment costs.