Women’s Health Insurance Fairness Act: A Step in the Right Direction
Posted by Advocate Aaron on June 2, 2009 · Leave a Comment
The Women’s Health Insurance Fairness Act, a bill proposed by Senator John Kerry, would prohibit health insurance companies from charging women higher premiums than men for the same coverage and prevent insurers from setting rates or denying coverage to women based on past, current, and future pregnancies and their chosen methods of delivery (including C-section). http://www.emaxhealth.com/1024/72/30944/women%E2%80%99s-health-insurance-fairness-act-introduced-senator-john-kerry.html
It would also require all plans to cover the entirety of maternity, lend the government the ability to impose fines for infractions, and require the Government Accountability Office to issue a report about problems women face in the health care industry. The measure would make it easier for uninsured pregnant women to access individual and family health care insurance plans – and so we must applaud Mr. Kerry for introducing and sponsoring this bill. If passed, it will help uninsured pregnant women gain access to the maternity coverage they need; and if done right, the report alone will help legislators understand and address the plight of Moms in the Middle.
Hey, Government Accountability Office – give me a call! We already know the trials and tribulations endured by America’s mothers, especially when it comes to health care coverage and medical billing. We can do your report for you!
Though I support the bill, I also know it is a single step in the right direction and not a be-all-end-all solution. Many more uninsured pregnant women will still be unable to access medical insurance coverage because they simply can’t afford it. When will our legislators address that problem?
Government-sponsored/government-subsidized health care is viewed as the solution by some; while others believe it will corrupt our capitalistic society. In an attempt to dissuade legislators from offering public health care, private insurance companies have proposed several industry regulations (http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20090505/REG/305059942) that will help keep them “honest.” What they want is for the people to trust them, or rather trust the government’s ability to regulate them.
But if we haven’t been able to trust the insurance industry in the past, how can we be expected to do so now? And if the government (the American people) must supply regulatory resources, shouldn’t it have a say in how services are distributed?
The Women’s Health Insurance Fairness Act is one piece of a very large puzzle. Let’s hope Congress can figure out where it fits so we can get it on the board. Uninsured pregnant women must be able to become insured pregnant women, and this is a key move toward that end.
Want to stay on top of key maternity and pregnancy related legislative developments? Go to www.govtracker.us!
