Fixing Gender Discrimination in California

Great Scott! In California (of ALL places) there is a state law that would “force women to pay more than men” for individual health insurance. Who knew??

California already has a law forbidding gender-rating of group insurance. Somehow, the legislature forgot about individual policies, and the City Attorney of San Francisco has filed suit to remedy that error.

He will probably succeed. Remember, this is California.

The inconvenient truth remains that insurance premiums reflect the underlying cost of the insured liability. In this case, health insurance premiums for women are greater than for men, because the cost of health care for women is greater than the cost of health care for men.

But never mind that! Because this is another wonderful opportunity for California politicians and other self-serving “public” servants to grab publicity for some self-serving comments about some alleged discrimination against women.

And the consequence of their political showboating? Why, mainly that women will pay less than their cost, while men will be required to pay more than their cost to make up the difference. But will anyone pay attention? I expect not. Not in San Francisco or Sacramento, anyway.

Oh, and one more thing. The fact that insurance prices reflect the underlying cost of the insured liability also explains why life insurance rates for women are significantly LESS than for men.

But life insurance premiums never seem to result in any gender-discrimination lawsuits or grandstanding by these very same politicians and public servants.

Funny, that.