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Aren't age and sex federally protected attributes? How are insurance companies discriminating against people in this manner?
by jsprogrammer 11y ago
Aren't age and sex federally protected attributes? How are insurance companies discriminating against people in this manner?
- learc83 11y agoAnti-discrimination laws don't cover everything. For instance, it is generally OK to put out a casting call for a blonde male actor, and a company can refuse to hire someone in a wheelchair for a warehouse job.
- eli 11y agoThose are both examples of employment. It's true that there are some exceptions to employment anti-discrimination laws, but they don't apply at all to how much you charge someone for health insurance. (And not to belabor your example, but the person in the wheelchair has to actually be unable to do the job even with "reasonable accommodations" from the employer. It's not enough to say "it seems like it might be dangerous" or "we don't have ramps")
- jsprogrammer 11y agoWell, we aren't talking about everything. Only insurance premiums.
- eli 11y agoI'm pretty sure men and women are now required to get the same rates for health insurance under ACA. How are they allowed to charge people differently based on age? Well, because there's no law against it. Age discrimination is illegal in employment and housing, but not in what you charge for insurance.
- twoodfin 11y agoPrices for health plans on an ACA exchange can only vary based on age, family size, smoker status, and a geographical "community rating" that's designed to account for local cost of care. No other factors may affect pricing, and anyone who is willing to pay the price must be enrolled.