MCG considers extending health insurance benefits to domestic partners in Augusta

The Medical College of Georgia, the state's only public medical university, may ask the state for health insurance benefits for the domestic partners of its faculty members.

The faculty is voting this week on whether MCG should extend the benefits.

Bill Andrews, vice chairman of MCG's academic council, says domestic partnerships are increasing, and that the issue will increasingly factor in to the recruitment and retention of faculty.

"We want to make sure that we have a good strong faculty here at MCG that represents a cross section of the country at this point," he said.

MCG will take the matter before the state's board of regents if the faculty approves the idea.

Two other state universities, the University of Georgia and Georgia State University, have requested similar benefits from the regents in years past, with no luck. A spokesman for the board of regents says the issue is still "under advisement."