Women short-changed in health insurance, Kerry says

[Mass]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/05/women_shortchan.html

Women short-changed in health insurance, Kerry says

Senator John F. Kerry today introduced a bill that would stop insurers from charging women higher premiums, or denying or limiting coverage based on whether they are pregnant.

Kerry cited a September 2008 report by the National Women’s Law Center that found insurance companies can reject applicants for reasons that affect women; that it is difficult and costly for women to find health insurance that covers maternity care; and that women often face higher premiums than men for identical coverage.

“The disparity between women and men in the individual insurance market is just plain wrong and it has to change,” Kerry said in a statement. “With Mother’s Day around the corner, there’s no better gift to American women than discrimination-free, affordable and accessible insurance that meets their health needs.”

Coincidentally, the main health insurer group said today it would end its practice of charging higher premiums to women if all Americans are required to obtain coverage, the industry's latest concession as it tries to stave off the creation of a government plan that would directly compete with private insurers.
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This legislation is supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Children’s Defense Fund, Consumers Union, Families USA, National Partnership for Women & Families, OWL - The Voice of Midlife and Older Women, and the Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health (PRCH).

I like the bill, of course, but it is a small step among many small steps, which are a good sign there will not be any constraints on insurance companies planned by Congress in the Healthcare package. Insurance companies are ready for some relatively minor concessions in order to avoid that the package coming from Congress includes a public insurance option, because, as Nelson (NE) said, it would hurt them.

I am bothered that the Senate is not considering the public option -- per Baucus-- . I know Single payer is not an option, but why not authorize people to subscribe to a public option like Medicare. It would be less expensive and force the private insurance to become better. And I am still bothered by the fact Kerry did not make any call to public insurance while 12 other senators did (including fairly conservative ones like Gillibrand or Bingaman). May be he did not got the letter to sign, but this does not prevent him to declare his support to something that makes a big difference for people. Otherwise, a mandate for health insurance is just a bonus for insurance companies.