Guest commentary by Debbie Hines, Esq.

Many US women, like Jody Neal-Post in today’s news, have survived domestic violence only to be denied health coverage because of it. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi             says this won’t happen if the Obama Administration gets the reform it aims for, but some Democrats are being as intransigent as the majority of Republicans, and special interests have already eaten into the plan’s original intentions.

Women make up a disproportionate number of those who are without health care insurance. Many are the primary breadwinner or sole breadwinner, work part time, or work in jobs with no health insurance benefits. Employer-paid health insurance is quite different than buying coverage on the open market, where many legal obstacles exist for women. There is a clear bias against women in the health care insurance industry. The insurance gods make it difficult for many to be insured and exact sky-high premiums.

It is legal in nine states and the District of Columbia for insurance companies to reject applicants for health coverage in areas specific to women. Victims of domestic abuse can be denied coverage. Pregnant applicants can be denied coverage due to what they call “a pre-existing condition.” Even a past C-section is a reason for denial. Many private insurers will not insure for maternity even if a woman is not already pregnant. In some instances, a woman can obtain a “rider” for maternity coverage. This means she can pay additional fees, on top of the already high fees, to add maternity coverage. So many women go without coverage for maternity. According to The World Health Organization, Kuwait, Canada, and 31 other countries have lower maternity mortality rates than the U.S. Yes, it’s sad but true.

Studies show that between 1999 and 2008, health insurance premiums increased by a whopping 119 percent. I don’t know of anyone whose salary increased by anywhere near that much. Then there’s the issue of gender bias in charging for premiums. Gender bias means insurance companies often charge women anywhere from 4% to 48% more than men for identical health plans based on the same age. Does that seem fair to anyone? Yet, only 10 states have outlawed gender bias in premium rates. The fact that women earn 78 cents for every dollar men earn further complicates this issue.

Women make up over 50% of this country. Yet somehow many are denied the fundamentals of basic health insurance. What is wrong with this picture? We should be yelling from the rafters and everywhere to support President Obama’s public health care reform. If we do not, and it fails, we have only ourselves to blame. We are now the New Moral Majority. It is morally right that women should not be denied health care due to pregnancy, prior C sections, or domestic abuse, or overcharged due to their sex. There should be a united front between our insured and our uninsured sisters. This is a struggle that should unite us and not divide us.

I urge everyone to take action for health care reform. Overall, 46 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2008. A recent Harvard study shows we are more likely to die due to lack of health insurance and its ramifications than from drunk driving and homicide combined. Let’s unite for what is right. Give a Sista a Health Care Break!

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Readers, what’s YOUR health care story? Are you an American who has experienced health care outside the US? Have you experienced US health care as a visitor? Are you living in a country where health care is better – or worse? Please tell the world.