Although married, Flo and I do not share last names. Among our three married children, one couple shares a last name, one couple has chosen to each retain their surname, and in one, my daughter-in-law has hyphenated her last name.

Sometimes the different last names have not gone unnoticed. Once, a passport officer asked Flo why she didn't take my name. Flo responded by asking him to read my passport and try to pronounce it...and smiled.

Over the years, I have become used to being referred to occasionally as Mr. Feinberg. I have even been referred to as Mr. Diamond (Flo's maiden surname). Unless it's important, I usually don't correct people anymore.

Recently, Flo received a letter from our health insurance plan. I am covered under Flo's plan. In what seemed to be a routine letter, they were asking for information about dependents covered under the plan. That would be me. They asked for proof of my eligibility to be covered -- that is, proof that we were married.

Flo got a copy of our marriage certificate (although I wonder whether they would ask, and how we would prove, that we are still married). Hopefully, it will put an end to this.

But one question persists: I wonder whether Flo would have received the letter if we had the same last name?