Released: November 03, 2008

Gouging women on health insurance

Source: New York Times (Free Registration)

As tens of thousands of workers lose their jobs — and their group health insurance — in a worsening economy, they will have to scramble to find affordable insurance policies in the open market. The problems will be particularly acute for women, who often pay far higher premiums than men for the same health coverage, if they can get coverage at all. The inequities in the health insurance market were described in a recent report by the National Women’s Law Center and in an article by Robert Pear in The Times. If women are covered by an employer’s group policy, they are usually protected by federal antidiscrimination laws. The states, however, regulate the market for individually bought policies, and most offer women few protections against discrimination. New York is a notable exception.

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