Are civil unions recognized in Social Security and Medicare benefits?
In Oklahoma, civil unions are not recognized by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This means that civil union partners are not eligible to receive any Social Security or Medicare benefits. Federal law does not permit same-sex couples who are in a civil union to receive Social Security benefits, regardless of whether the marriage is recognized in their state. The same applies to Medicare benefits. Civil unions are not recognized by the federal government to receive these benefits. However, Oklahoma does recognize same-sex marriage. So, those individuals who are in an Oklahoma same-sex marriage are eligible to receive Social Security and Medicare benefits. This eligibility extends to the surviving spouse if the primary spouse passes away; the surviving spouse in the same-sex marriage is eligible to receive survivor benefits. In conclusion, civil unions are not recognized by the SSA or CMS in Oklahoma, so those individuals who are in a civil union in Oklahoma are not eligible to receive Social Security or Medicare benefits. Those individuals in an Oklahoma same-sex marriage are eligible to receive these benefits, including survivor benefits.
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