Financially liable for partner's medical bills when we have joint medical coverage?

[overstre]

New Jersey

I'm debating whether I should add my live-in mate to my medical insurance at work. If I added him to my insurance, would I be financially liable for his medical expenses that are not covered by our insurance? For example, if he developed a catastrophic illness/injury and the amount of his medical expenses exceeded my insurance coverage limits or if certain services were not covered by the insurance at all, would I be liable to cover them, or are they still solely his responsibility?

Thanks for any info you can provide!

[xylene]

Originally Posted by overstre

Would I be liable to cover them, or are they still solely his responsibility?

They would be his liability.

An analogy - would your employer have liability for your excess bills? No.

You should talk to you insurer for total clarity on this.

[moburkes]

Originally Posted by xylene

They would be his liability.

An analogy - would your employer have liability for your excess bills? No.

You should talk to you insurer for total clarity on this.

No need. Your answer was correct.

[ecmst12]

To offer more information, adding your partner to your insurance would not make you any MORE liable for his bills then you are now - any joint liability for medical expenses would be due only to your partnership status and not dependant on being covered by the same insurance. So if he doesn't have insurance on his own, you're actually BETTER protected with him on your insurance then without.

I just wanted to mention that because some states DO allow creditors to come after people for the debts of their spouses and/or domestic partners. Not sure if NJ is one of them.