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Same-sex couple in Henderson upset with hospital's treatment

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A story for those who think "domestic partnerships" are just as good as marriage for same sex couples

Same-sex couple in Henderson upset with hospital's treatment

CARSON CITY -- On the wall of their Henderson home, Brittney Leon and Terri-Ann Simonelli proudly display their certificate of domestic partnership.

Under a 2009 state law, the document gives them all the rights of married couples.

Or so they thought.

click thru and read the article for more info but there are two points I want to be sure people see
A woman who identified herself as public relations representative at Spring Valley Hospital told a Review-Journal reporter in a phone interview that the hospital policy requires gay couples have power of attorney in order to make medical decisions for each other .

When asked if she was aware of Nevada's domestic partnership law, she accused the reporter of bias and hung up the telephone.

Then there is the last little bit of total hypocrisy by the hospital
Looking back, Leon is amused by one requirement imposed by the hospital.

When she checked in, she said, the administration officer asked for her insurance. She is insured through Simonelli's policy from her job at a Strip hotel. Leon said the hospital readily accepted the insurance, and the officer even asked for Simonelli's Social Security number.

"They wanted to be sure they would get paid," she said.
They were happy to take the insurance payment which was due to a corporation accepting domestic partnerships but they wouldn't allow the domestic partner to make the same medical decisions they would give to a married couple - hypocrisy much?
 
All the more proof why a 'domestic-partnership' is not the same as a marriage, and why SSM should be a nationwide freedom protected by the constitution.
 
All the more proof why a 'domestic-partnership' is not the same as a marriage, and why SSM should be a nationwide freedom protected by the constitution.

There's no evidence to suggest that this hospital would have honored a marriage certificate, either.

The hospital could have just as easily demanded to see their marriage certificate, before allowing the partner make medical decisions. Who the hell carries that around with them??

I think that if this hospital did anything illegal, it should be made an example as a message to any other medical facility that might do the same thing.

In all fairness, though, you can't blame the hospital management for trying to avoid a lawsuit. On the other hand, if two people came in and lied about their marital/domestic partnership status would the hospital still be liable?
 
There's no evidence to suggest that this hospital would have honored a marriage certificate, either.

The hospital could have just as easily demanded to see their marriage certificate, before allowing the partner make medical decisions. Who the hell carries that around with them??

I think that if this hospital did anything illegal, it should be made an example as a message to any other medical facility that might do the same thing.

In all fairness, though, you can't blame the hospital management for trying to avoid a lawsuit. On the other hand, if two people came in and lied about their marital/domestic partnership status would the hospital still be liable?

But they were happy to acknowledge the insurance policy which paid their bill.

You're probably right about the hospital refusing to work with the couple even if they had been married - as shown by the reaction of the PR person when questioned by the reporter.

Read the article and you will see the couple does not plan to take any legal action against the hospital. It is doubtful the state AG will do anything based simply on a newspaper article.
 
There's no evidence to suggest that this hospital would have honored a marriage certificate, either.

The hospital could have just as easily demanded to see their marriage certificate, before allowing the partner make medical decisions. Who the hell carries that around with them??

I think that if this hospital did anything illegal, it should be made an example as a message to any other medical facility that might do the same thing.

In all fairness, though, you can't blame the hospital management for trying to avoid a lawsuit. On the other hand, if two people came in and lied about their marital/domestic partnership status would the hospital still be liable?

You raise a fair point. Perhaps then it's hospital policies that need to be changed and fixed upon.
 
A story for those who think "domestic partnerships" are just as good as marriage for same sex couples

click thru and read the article for more info but there are two points I want to be sure people see


Then there is the last little bit of total hypocrisy by the hospital

They were happy to take the insurance payment which was due to a corporation accepting domestic partnerships but they wouldn't allow the domestic partner to make the same medical decisions they would give to a married couple - hypocrisy much?

A husband is not allowed to make medical decisions for his wife unless there is a healthcare power of attorney. There's no double standard here.
 
Well anybody that thinks any current civil unions or domestic partnerships are as concreat and binding and leagally equal to marriages simply is not educated on the matter.

There are many cases like this where civil unions and domestic partnerships have been defeated by other family members or policies that call out "marriage" etc.

this among many other reasons is why the civil unions / domestic partnership argument holds no water and is complete hogwash.

I think last time I check there are like 1800 rights a marriage grants you
 
A husband is not allowed to make medical decisions for his wife unless there is a healthcare power of attorney. There's no double standard here.

While im not disagreeing about the OP your statement is not true. The double standard part maybe be true but My uncle was granted medical decisions when my aunt was in a coma because marriage makes them one person.

now there may be cases where the family fights it or something like that or other special circumstances but a husband does in fact have that power in situations too.

AGain Im just talking in general and not referencing the OPs article.

and also on a side note civil unions and domestic partnerships are crap legally compared to marriage no matter the OP.

Just my two cents :)
 
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A husband is not allowed to make medical decisions for his wife unless there is a healthcare power of attorney. There's no double standard here.

I think you are mistaken.
 
Sorry Maggie but you're wrong...

Wiki ~ Rights and responsibilities of marriages in the United States

Making spousal medical decisions

Yes, I think I was wrong. BUT. I also think you'll find that it varies by state, Kal. In addition, without a healthcare power of attorney, one may have a hard time making "the big decisions" that often come at the end of life. If the doctor doesn't agree, without a healthcare power of attorney, a spouse's decisions will not necessarily be honored...most especially if other family doesn't agree.
 
Yes, I think I was wrong. BUT. I also think you'll find that it varies by state, Kal. In addition, without a healthcare power of attorney, one may have a hard time making "the big decisions" that often come at the end of life. If the doctor doesn't agree, without a healthcare power of attorney, a spouse's decisions will not necessarily be honored...most especially if other family doesn't agree.

Sounds like you've been there and done that ... me too.

A L
 
Sorry Maggie but you're wrong...
As is anyone who believes the opposite is true.

The law can vary quite a bit state-to-state. A good number do in fact require the power of attorney; and even among those that don't, it can still get very messy without one (Terry Shiavo?).

Unless you have a very firm grasp of the law in your state and don't plan to do any traveling (like at all), you're much better off working under the assumption that it's required, than the assumption that it's not.
 
Well what do you know. Marriage isn't just a **** contract, there's other stuff involved.
 
A husband is not allowed to make medical decisions for his wife unless there is a healthcare power of attorney. There's no double standard here.

I'm not so sure about that. I think it depends on the state.
 
Well anybody that thinks any current civil unions or domestic partnerships are as concreat and binding and leagally equal to marriages simply is not educated on the matter.

There are many cases like this where civil unions and domestic partnerships have been defeated by other family members or policies that call out "marriage" etc.

this among many other reasons is why the civil unions / domestic partnership argument holds no water and is complete hogwash.

I think last time I check there are like 1800 rights a marriage grants you

There are also family members who have challenged and defeated a husbands rights for a hetero couples when it comes to medical decisions for a wife. Same with inheritence and other issues. Another family member can always issue a challege. Doesn't make marriage or civil unions any less valid.
 
A story for those who think "domestic partnerships" are just as good as marriage for same sex couples



click thru and read the article for more info but there are two points I want to be sure people see


Then there is the last little bit of total hypocrisy by the hospital

They were happy to take the insurance payment which was due to a corporation accepting domestic partnerships but they wouldn't allow the domestic partner to make the same medical decisions they would give to a married couple - hypocrisy much?

If the state recognizes domestic partnerships, the hospital was acting in violation of the the law. That is a fault of the hospital, not the law.
 
There are also family members who have challenged and defeated a husbands rights for a hetero couples when it comes to medical decisions for a wife. Same with inheritence and other issues. Another family member can always issue a challege. Doesn't make marriage or civil unions any less valid.

it doesnt make MARRIAGE any less but it certainly makes civil unions and domestic partnerships less when comparing them to marriage and people dishonestly saying they are equal or the same thing when it comes to RIGHTS.

Marriages are more iron clad and far superior legaly and factually.
 
Hate to say, this looks more like a liability thing than a "anti-gay" thing. Considering how sue happy we've become as a country, stuff like this doesn't even surprise me anymore.

To be honest, medical power of attorney is something that every couple who consider themselves married should have anyway.
 
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it doesnt make MARRIAGE any less but it certainly makes civil unions and domestic partnerships less when comparing them to marriage and people dishonestly saying they are equal or the same thing when it comes to RIGHTS.

Marriages are more iron clad and far superior legaly and factually.
Not really. As has been already pointed out, the hospital could have the exact same policy for married gay couples... it's against the law in both cases, but there's no real penalty so the hospital covers its ass. Whether civil unions or marriages, the remedy would be giving the law some teeth - punitive damages perhaps.
 
Not really. As has been already pointed out, the hospital could have the exact same policy for married gay couples... it's against the law in both cases, but there's no real penalty so the hospital covers its ass. Whether civil unions or marriages, the remedy would be giving the law some teeth - punitive damages perhaps.

sorry you must not have been following my posts, im not talking about this hospital.

the fact remains civil unions and domestic partnerships are less when comparing them to marriage and some people dishonestly say they are equal or the same thing when it comes to RIGHTS because they are not.


Marriages are more iron clad and far superior legally and factually.


I said this way back in post 7
 
sorry you must not have been following my posts, im not talking about this hospital.

the fact remains civil unions and domestic partnerships are less when comparing them to marriage and some people dishonestly say they are equal or the same thing when it comes to RIGHTS because they are not.
OK, I see...

Yes, I'm only commenting on the story in the OP. Its takeaway message is not (as others have perhaps implied) that civil unions and marriages don't have the same legal protections - rather, it illustrates that what the law says and how it works in the real world can sometimes be two very different things.
 
OK, I see...

Yes, I'm only commenting on the story in the OP. Its takeaway message is not (as others have perhaps implied) that civil unions and marriages don't have the same legal protections - rather, it illustrates that what the law says and how it works in the real world can sometimes be two very different things.

no problem I figured you thought I was directly commenting on the OP.

and I agree with your last statement 100% they very well can be different.
 
This is all amoke and mirrors........There are legal ways to take care of this problem....
 
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