The Center on Halsted hosted a financial and healthcare empowerment seminar June 23 for same-sex couples that was sponsored by state treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias. The forum featured financial-rights attorney Ray Koenig as its main speaker. The eventdubbed "Change Begins"was put on in honor of Pride Month.
Koenig asked those in attendance how many had drafted living wills, powers of attorney and other legal documents to ensure that their assets and health care wishes could be administered by the person of their choice should they become incapacitated. With only a few in the audience raising their hands, Koenig stressed the need for same-sex couples to draft those documents because gays and lesbians lack the legal protections of marriage in the state of Illinois.
"Married couples have the benefit of the law on their side," Koenig said. "It is very important for LGBT couples who expect that their same-sex partner will be able to make plans for them [ to draft these documents ] because the state of Illinois does not recognize those relationships." Koenig also put to rest the idea that domestic partnershipslike those offered by Cook Countyoffer solid legal protection: "A lot of people think that they can gain protection from a domestic partnership. That's nice and symbolic, but all it means is that for health care purposes an insurance company will offer benefits to your domestic partner."
Koenig noted that a power of attorney is necessary to allow one's partner to make health care decisions on your behalf and that a living will is necessary so that one's assets can be passed to the appropriate person. To underscore his point, Koenig made mention of the state's health care surrogacy law, which lists the priority in which a person will be named to act on your behalf should you be unable to make decisions for yourself. Seventh on the list is a "close friend of the patient," which is where most judges in Cook County, Koenig said, will recognize a same-sex partner. "But it's way down on the list," Koenig said, adding, "And it only comes should all of the family members who are ahead of you fail to act."
Paul Oostenbrug, who attended the event, called Koenig's remarks useful: "I did find it very helpful because I am one of the older people in the room and would like to know that I have plans in place should anything happen between me and my partner." After hearing Koenig speak, Oostenbrug also changed his mind about the importance of marriage equality. "I used to think that it wouldn't bring much in the way of power," he said. "But now I'll take it more seriously."