Women charged $1 billion more than men for health care: report

[Starry Messenger]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/19/women-charged-1-billion-more-than-men-for-health-care-report/

The National Women’s Law Center released a report Monday morning that found health insurance companies have charged women $1 billion more than men for the same premium coverage, leading to the organization launching a campaign for women to fight against discriminatory practices.

The report, Turning to Fairness: Insurance discrimination against women today and the Affordable Care Act, documented the various ways the health insurance industry treated women unequally in obtaining affordable health care.

Though the practice of gender rating, or charging women more for the same coverage, women are paying a $1 billion more than their male counterparts. States that haven’t banned gender rating have seen women charged more for 92 percent of best-selling health plans.

In most states, non-smoking women are commonly charged more than even smoking men. And even with maternity coverage excluded, nearly a third of plans analyzed found that 25 and 40-year-old women were charged at least 30 percent more or even higher than men for the same coverage.

[dewawi]

1. Say what? When was the last time a man got pregnant?

Of course women pay more. They have the babies. How utterly ludicrous.

[rfranklin]

2. Read before posting...you make yourself look dumb...

"And even with maternity coverage excluded, nearly a third of plans analyzed found that 25 and 40-year-old women were charged at least 30 percent more or even higher than men for the same coverage."

[dewawi]

3. A THIRD were "analyzed" to be "overcharging" after allowing for maternity coverage.

Can you say worthless study"?

[elehhhhna]

4. omg can you say "reading comprehension"?

[Skittles]

6. can you say TROLL?

I knew you could

[Starry Messenger]

5. I guess we'll just stop having them then.

That'll show...someone.

[DURHAM D]

7. And this explains why the insurance industry worked so hard to defeat the ERA.

They had the most to lose. But most people thought it was the "church". It wasn't.

[William769]

8. +1

[Starry Messenger]

9. That makes sense.

I didn't know anything about the history there.

[Macoy51]

10. Just Like Car Insurance

Car insurance companies charge men a LOT more than a woman for the same level of coverage. And just like health care insurance, the reason is not sexism, but the fact that one group costs more to insure…and the companies just pass on the cost.

And yes, even if you factor out pregnancy, woman’s health care still cost more than a man’s.


Macoy

[4th law of robotics]

12. I wonder when that discrepancy will be addressed

Automotive insurance and life insurance are weighted against men.

But that is ok.

The cost of healthcare goes up drastically with age:

Guess who is over-represented in the 65+ community?



Women pay more but get more care.

For men and women to pay the same for health insurance would men men are paying more for less.

[One_Life_To_Give]

11. Europe is just banning Gender Pricing in Insurance

http://www.ftadviser.com/2012/06/20/insurance/health-and-protection/women-to-be-hit-hardest-by-ecj-gender-ruling-scot-prov-ydmM3ZutB7tZGE6pFYcdZN/article.html

Looks like a mixed bag Health Cheaper, Auto and Life higher. Could be a few years before we really see how well this works out for everyone.