Health Care, Gay Marriage, Domestic Partnerships, and Millions of Billions of Dollars

I live in Maryland, but go to school in DC, which has some of the best domestic partnership benefits of any state or territory in the country, even MA or CA.  Domestic partner benefits in DC are open to same and different sex couples. 

Currently in a hetero relationship, I feel uncomfortable taking advantage of rights given to some people in America and not to others, which essentially biols down to my unease with marriage And not getting married really screws with health insurance. 

I’m insured under my school health insurance, but my partner only has emergency coverage through his non-profit.  So we figured that we could ensure him as my domestic partner. 

Student coverage per annum: $1,400.

Spouse or domestic partner coverage per annum: $5,300.

WTF?!?

Since when does a partnership in which one member is a current full-time student and the other not able to afford their own health insurance have FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS lying around to ensure the second partner?!?

So instead, my partner remains woefully under-insured, as do the partners of many same and different sex relationships.

Beyond the debate of same-sex marriage lies the greater problem of true rights for all partnerships, and not just rights that exist, like my school’s health insurance, but rights that are realistically obtainable.