CA bills target women's individual insurance policies

San Jose Mercury News, April 27, 2009

Two bills in the California Legislature would bar insurers from charging different health insurance premiums based on a person's sex and mandate maternity care in individual insurance policies. Women often pay more for individual health coverage than men because, health insurers say, healthcare for women is usually more expensive than for men. In January, the city of San Francisco filed a lawsuit that would prohibit different rates for men and women. That bill is on hold pending the outcome of the legislation. Ten states ban gender rating while two states restrict how much more women can be charged than men.