Recently, a report was released by specific health insurance companies and insurance brokers stating that women pay much more for health insurance coverage than do men. The New York Times reports that the difference was shocking.
The biggest reason why women might pay more for health insurance is because of maternity costs. Having a baby can easily cost thousands of dollars. This is not a happy thought for insurers. A second reason could be the fact that women are more attuned to their health, so they go to the doctor more often than men.
Elizabeth J. Leif, a health insurance actuary says, “[W]omen tend to be higher utilizers of health care than men. I am more conscious of my health than my husband, who will avoid going to the doctor at all costs.”
So there is hard evidence why a woman might pay more for health insurance than a man. But is it justified? In the Times article there was a great philosophical argument against such a disparity.
Mila Kofman, an insurance superintendent who advocates equal rates says, “Only women can bear children. There’s an expense to that. But having babies benefits communities and society as a whole. Women should not have to bear the entire expense.
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