State Assembly Denies Health Insurance Gender Rating Bid

State Legal News May 12, 2009

Sacramento – The state assembly has overwhelmingly voted to prohibit health insurer from using a person’s gender or sex as basis for charging different premiums for similar policies.

Assembly Bill 119, sponsored by Assemblyman Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) was approved by the assembly, with a vote of 51-29. The Senate is set to take up the same matter next week.

On the other hand, women’s rights advocates had urged lawmakers to ban gender rating, saying the practices is discriminatory and prevents women to get individual health insurance policies.

Generally, health insurance policies are either state-sponsored or purchased by one’s employers.