Wait, what? The HCR bill STILL lets insurance companies charge women more?

[Hello_Kitty]

That's what NOW is saying. http://capwiz.com/now/issues/alert/?alertid=14579341

Women Charged More for Being Women - One of the major selling points to women for supporting reform was that gender rating would be prohibited, but now under pressure from profit-driven insurance companies, this harmful practice will be permitted if the Senate version becomes the final bill. Discussions about resolving differences between Senate and House versions of health care reform legislation are concluding soon. General consensus indicates that provisions of the more conservative Senate bill will prevail which means that gender discrimination could be in the final version.

Gender discrimination or gender rating, where women are charged more (up to 48 percent more) than men -- often with fewer benefits -- will be allowed for companies with more than 100 employees who obtain coverage through the new Health Insurance Exchanges. The vast majority of workers are in companies with 100 or more employees.

Seriously, the elimination of the "gender gap" was one of the BEST features of HCR to me. I don't comprehend government gobbledygook so trying to find it in the text of the bill is a waste of my time. Could one of you uber-wonks clarify this for me?

[FrenchieCat]

1. "Could be?"

Time for some calls, don't you think?

[Hello_Kitty]

3. I agree that's a weaselly word. That's why I want clarification. eom

[leftstreet]

2. A revenue decision? Women are more likely to purchase healthcare

Target customers?

:shrug:

[Hello_Kitty]

4. Yeah, but they told us they would eliminate the disparity.

And they're going to mandate that everyone gets insurance so being more or less likely to purchase it should be irrelevant. Unless they're figuring that more males will opt for the penalty. Still, my understanding was that premiums in the Exchange were going to be gender-neutral.

[leftstreet]

5. Yeah, I know

I don't get it.

And you're right about the mandates. I should have said women are more likely than men to 'access' the healthcare.

[Nikki Stone1]

6. Crap.

/

[saracat]

7. Another reason this is NOT a good Bill.Scream NOW because

if it passes it will be too late.It never should have been about just health care bill but what is in the health care bill.

[eridani]

8. Well, that's what you should expect for throwing older people under the bus

If age rating is just fine, then other kinds of ratings are going to sneak in.

[Hello_Kitty]

9. Here's another article.

http://womensenews.org/story/health/100120/senate-health-deal-readmits-gender-bias-insurers

Again, claiming that employers of more than 100 workers can continue to be charged more for females.