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Colorado lawmakers hold hearing on health care

STEVEN K. PAULSON
Associated Press Writer

DENVER – Colorado lawmakers said Monday they want to know why women pay more for health insurance than men.

Jamie Scholl, spokesman for the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters, told the Legislature’s Health Care Task Force that women pay more for insurance when they are young because they have a higher demand for health care. He said that changes for adults in their 50s, because women are beyond childbearing age and older men need more medical care.

Sen. Joyce Foster, D-Denver, said women are being forced to subsidize health care for young men and she said it’s unfair for one group of people to pay one rate and another group a higher rate for medical care.



“To me, it’s highly offensive,” she told Scholl.

Dick Cauchi, an analyst for the National Conference of State Legislatures, a nonpartisan research organization, said 40 states have no specific ban on gender ratings. He said Colorado has a limited ban.

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Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, said lawmakers may have to change state law to make it clear that one group of insured shouldn’t be forced to support another when both parties are responsible for pregnancies.


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