WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., spoke out today against the insurance practice of charging women more for health coverage because of domestic violence or the possibility of pregnancy.
“Right now women are among those most severely disadvantaged by our current health care system,” Franken said in a prepared statement during a Senate Health Committee hearing.
“Passing health care reform will mean that for the first time in history, women in Minnesota and across the county will receive equal health care benefits for equal premiums,” he said.
In recent weeks, Democrats, including Minnesota’s Sen. Amy Klobuchar, have been trying to raise support for health-care reform by appealing to women, saying they stand to benefit from the current Congressional legislation.
Franken said that in many states health insurance companies can charge higher premiums, or deny coverage all together, if a woman has a history of domestic violence.
“This is simply immoral and unacceptable,” Franken said.
God that’s awful. My wife once worked with abuse victims and some of the news was shaking. To pile an unfair insurance burden or denial on top of that is truly inhumane.