According to Courtot, there are only seven states that offer sufficient coverage for small group and individual policies: Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
Courtot also noted that Colorado will join that list next with a new law effective January 2011; California could possibly follow soon after as long as a current maternity mandate passes, which would also be effective January 2011.
Women are already paying more for health insurance policies, specifically in their childbearing years, because they are thought to visit the doctor for ailments, wellness checkups, take prescription medicine, and use their insurance more often, according to an October 2008 article in the New York Times (“Women Buying Health Policies Pay a Penalty”). This is known as “gender rating,” and is widely adapted and supported by insurers based on use of health-related services.
But everything is set to change starting January 1, 2014. The healthcare reform, which has been called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), will not only include coverage of maternity services in an essential benefits package for all new policies, but also do away with gender rating altogether.
“This will definitely change health insurance,” Zirkelbach says, adding that AHIP fully supported the Affordable Care Act. Zirkelbach says that whether or not the insurers support it does not matter—they will have no choice.
“Whether or not this will be a hardship on health insurers isn’t our concern,” Courtot says. “Some states have mandated coverage in the individual and small group market, so we know it can be done.”
According to information sent by the office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, health insurers will also be restricted from treating women who have had C-sections, pregnancy, or were victims of domestic violence as if they have a pre-existing condition. It will no longer be legal to deny coverage based on any of these factors.
OTHER OPTIONS
But with high unemployment rates and the already-higher health insurance cost for women, what should they do if they find themselves pregnant sans insurance?
