The city of San Francisco is challenging California state legislation that allows insurance companies to charge women higher health insurance premiums than men. The practice is commonly known as “gender rating,” and it means that women pay more than men for the exact same insurance coverage. Although it seems ridiculous, insurance providers are able to get away with it because they claim that women age 19-55 typically use more health care than men, especially during their childbearing years. And while that may be true, is it fair??

As far as San Francisco is concerned, it’s not fair at all. California law currently allows insurance companies to set different rates for women, on the basis that women are more expensive to care for. But San Francisco City Attorney, Dennis Herrera, hopes to stop that practice. According to Herrera, “This is something that acts in a discriminatory way over women who are seeking health insurance . . . It’s something we should not be promoting as a society.”

Herrera has even gone as far as sending a letter to the State Attorney, announcing that San Francisco plans to sue the state if legislation allowing gender rating is not repealed. The city claims that gender bias is not only unfair and discriminatory towards women, but also detrimental to country governments. When women can’t afford high insurance rates, that burden falls onto the government to provide necessary health care.

There’s a direct fiscal impact to the city when women who are being discriminated against are unable to get health insurance . . . They’re forced into getting their health care from San Francisco General Hospital and city clinics.

- Dennis Herrera, San Francisco City Attorney

There has been so much controversy over the issue of gender discrimination by the insurance industry. Insurance providers claim it’s a necessary practice to ensure affordable health insurance coverage for everyone. Yet women’s health advocates considers it gender discrimination. We’re anxiously awaiting the response from the State of California. San Francisco seems resolved to stand firmly by their opinion. If the state agrees to repeal the legislation, this could definitely be the beginning of a widespread health insurance reform. Gender rating is already illegal in 10 states, and restricted in two more. This could easily become a nationwide controversy.