Comments on: Verizon Health Benefits?

Question: Verizon Health Benefits?

iamabot — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 14:55:49 -0800

My current employer is being acquired by Verizon. I am what would typically be considered a "management" employee (non union). My current employer does not provide opposite sex domestic partner health benefits and there has yet to be any formal contact with Verizon's HR department to obtain the answer from there. Before extending my girlfriends current private health insurance coverage I'm interested to know if anyone has any experience with Verizon's current healthcare benefits and if the benefits package extends to domestic partners, opposite sex primarilly, but also same sex as a matter of curiosity.

By: boomchicka

boomchicka — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 15:27:32 -0800

No first hand info, but the first Google result indicates that they do offer it. So it might be a good idea to hold off on renewing her private insurance until you get an official answer.

Also, even if dozens of Verizon employees weigh in here saying you'll have the coverage, I would still make sure to get an official answer from a Verizon benefits representative.

By: iamabot

iamabot — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 15:30:12 -0800

Thanks! Oddly enough I didn't hit it with google, must have used different search string. We will be waiting for the official word of course but was curious.

By: b1tr0t

b1tr0t — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 16:29:42 -0800

Do you and your girlfriend have a domestic partnership certificate of some kind? If not, you might want to hurry up and get one. If you do have one, how is it different from a marriage certificate?

By: iamabot

iamabot — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 16:37:32 -0800

We don't have any certification of being domestic partners. The closest would be our mutual powers of attorney.

A little more background: We live/work in San Francisco, my employer was acquired my late last year by MCI, dropping the opposite sex domestic partner benefits available to her (MCI only provides domestic partner benefits to same sex couples), so we went with a private healthcare solution.

The benefits package available via Verizon will hopefully provide the coverage we're looking for, what we have seen indicates that their benefits package is more generous.

By: crabintheocean

crabintheocean — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 16:38:56 -0800

As I understand it, you usually prove domestic partnership for insurance with a utility bill or lease showing you've been living together a while (generally a year).

By: probablysteve

probablysteve — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 06:35:12 -0800

All current MCI employees will be on MCI benefit plans for 2006. You won't get Verizon benefits until 2007 at the earliest.