Equal Rights. Equal Representation. Equal Health Care.
State Senate Ends Gender Disparity in Medical Insurance Industry
DENVER - March is Women's History Month and the State Senate is taking time to recognize the long, rich history of women in Colorado who have been pioneers, suffragists, professionals, and politicians. Colorado women were granted the right to vote in 1893, and Colorado was also the first state in the union to elect women to a state legislature in 1894. These first three women Clara Cressingham, Frances Klock, and Carrie C. Holly went on to make invaluable contributions to our state law and paved the way for female lawmakers after them. While women may have been greatly outnumbered in politics in 1894, in 2010 women represent 34% of our State Senate in Colorado.
(NOTE: NCSL has some great info about women in state legislatures across the country. Colorado has one of the highest percentages of women in their legislature, ranking #3 behind New Hampshire and Vermont. Click here for more info.)
Colorado has been a leader in women's rights throughout US history, and today the women of the Colorado Senate are continuing this trend. Despite women's increasing role in government, they are continuing to be discriminated against in the health care industry. Recent studies have shown that on average women pay almost 40% more than men for the same health insurance policies. It is even suggested that a healthy young women could pay higher premiums than an overweight male smoker. Senators Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora) and Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass) worked together to pass House Bill 1008 through the Senate to ensure that women in Colorado have equal access to health insurance. House Bill 1008 will guarantee that health insurance companies no longer use gender as a factor when determining an individual's insurance cost. The Senate passed HB 1008 on second reading today.
"Ensuring that all Coloradoans have equal access to health care is vital to the well being of our state. The disparity in the cost of health insurance between men and women is shocking, and I think correcting this inequity should be a top priority. Affordable healthcare for women helps care for Colorado's children and families" stated Senator Schwartz.
"I am proud to have sponsored HB 1008," said Sen. Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora). "This bill will make insurance more affordable for 140,000 women and their dependent children who depend on the individual health insurance market for their access to health care. It will help some of the 277,000 Colorado women with no coverage by making it more affordable. This is the right thing to do."
HB 1008 will be heard on the Senate floor for third and final reading.
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