Insurance Companies Discriminate Against Women

There's been some nice reporting on the health insurance industry's discrimination against women. Most recently, we found out that women who are victims of spousal abuse are deemed to have a pre-existing condition (WTF?). This "condition" subsequently makes them more expensive to insure.

Now we find out that women who have had C-sections are also considered to have pre-existing conditions.

On a related note, it's important to know that many insurance plans consider maternity care optional, and some that do cover it have a mandatory waiting period before maternity benefits kick-in. Lesson: check before you get preggers!

You'll be relieved to know that maternity care is part of the essential benefits package (EBP) mandated in the house version of the healthcare reform bill. The EBP is a set of minimum benefits all insurance plans must offer. Also in the house version - an end to discriminatory insurance practices. It doesn't matter what "conditions" you've had or still have, if you want coverage, you get it.

Read more about insurance discrimination against women here.