The private insurance industry has been discriminating against older Americans for decades, charging them many times more for the same insurance than "more desirable" younger people pay.
Now that we have the opportunity to require fairer and more affordable insurance options, the industry still wants to be allowed to discriminate on the basis of age.
This unfair practice would continue to keep affordable coverage out of reach for older Americans who need insurance protections the most.
In most states, insurance companies may charge older consumers much more than they charge the young — making premiums up to seven times more expensive.
This discriminatory practice is a key reason why 13% of older Americans (or 7.1 million) were uninsured in 2007, a figure that is growing rapidly.
Many other older Americans are so burdened by the high cost of their premiums that they avoid health care treatments that would require them to spend more out of their own pockets.
A recent study by the Urban Institute, looking at people who bought coverage on their own, found that reducing the discriminatory practice, known as age rating, benefits older adults more than it hurts the young.
The reason is that under health reform, younger people with modest incomes would qualify for subsidies that will help offset increases in their premiums. The study further found that stricter limits on age rating would lower the overall cost of health care reform by billions of dollars, something that would help all Americans.
Insurance companies must learn how to compete on the basis of quality and service to everyone — not by burdening one age group over another.
In a reformed health care system, everyone should be treated fairly and have access to affordable care. Insurance company discrimination, for whatever reason, should become a thing of the past.
AARP has been fighting for years to abolish age rating for the same reasons that we want to end private insurance discrimination based on a person's gender or medical history: because fairness is a fundamental American value, and discrimination in any form runs counter to who we are.
This year we have an opportunity to make great progress toward that goal. [rc]
John Rother is executive vice president of policy and strategy for AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons), which represents people 50 years and older.
© Copyright 2007 USA TODAY
October 23, 2009
USA: Opposing view - Stop age discrimination
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WASHINGTON, DC / USA Today / Opinion / October 23, 2009
Make higher premiums for older Americans a thing of the past
By John Rother
The private insurance industry has been discriminating against older Americans for decades, charging them many times more for the same insurance than "more desirable" younger people pay.
Now that we have the opportunity to require fairer and more affordable insurance options, the industry still wants to be allowed to discriminate on the basis of age.
This unfair practice would continue to keep affordable coverage out of reach for older Americans who need insurance protections the most.
In most states, insurance companies may charge older consumers much more than they charge the young — making premiums up to seven times more expensive.
This discriminatory practice is a key reason why 13% of older Americans (or 7.1 million) were uninsured in 2007, a figure that is growing rapidly.
Many other older Americans are so burdened by the high cost of their premiums that they avoid health care treatments that would require them to spend more out of their own pockets.
A recent study by the Urban Institute, looking at people who bought coverage on their own, found that reducing the discriminatory practice, known as age rating, benefits older adults more than it hurts the young.
The reason is that under health reform, younger people with modest incomes would qualify for subsidies that will help offset increases in their premiums. The study further found that stricter limits on age rating would lower the overall cost of health care reform by billions of dollars, something that would help all Americans.
Insurance companies must learn how to compete on the basis of quality and service to everyone — not by burdening one age group over another.
In a reformed health care system, everyone should be treated fairly and have access to affordable care. Insurance company discrimination, for whatever reason, should become a thing of the past.
AARP has been fighting for years to abolish age rating for the same reasons that we want to end private insurance discrimination based on a person's gender or medical history: because fairness is a fundamental American value, and discrimination in any form runs counter to who we are.
This year we have an opportunity to make great progress toward that goal. [rc]
John Rother is executive vice president of policy and strategy for AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons), which represents people 50 years and older.
© Copyright 2007 USA TODAY
The private insurance industry has been discriminating against older Americans for decades, charging them many times more for the same insurance than "more desirable" younger people pay.
Now that we have the opportunity to require fairer and more affordable insurance options, the industry still wants to be allowed to discriminate on the basis of age.
This unfair practice would continue to keep affordable coverage out of reach for older Americans who need insurance protections the most.
In most states, insurance companies may charge older consumers much more than they charge the young — making premiums up to seven times more expensive.
This discriminatory practice is a key reason why 13% of older Americans (or 7.1 million) were uninsured in 2007, a figure that is growing rapidly.
Many other older Americans are so burdened by the high cost of their premiums that they avoid health care treatments that would require them to spend more out of their own pockets.
A recent study by the Urban Institute, looking at people who bought coverage on their own, found that reducing the discriminatory practice, known as age rating, benefits older adults more than it hurts the young.
The reason is that under health reform, younger people with modest incomes would qualify for subsidies that will help offset increases in their premiums. The study further found that stricter limits on age rating would lower the overall cost of health care reform by billions of dollars, something that would help all Americans.
Insurance companies must learn how to compete on the basis of quality and service to everyone — not by burdening one age group over another.
In a reformed health care system, everyone should be treated fairly and have access to affordable care. Insurance company discrimination, for whatever reason, should become a thing of the past.
AARP has been fighting for years to abolish age rating for the same reasons that we want to end private insurance discrimination based on a person's gender or medical history: because fairness is a fundamental American value, and discrimination in any form runs counter to who we are.
This year we have an opportunity to make great progress toward that goal. [rc]
John Rother is executive vice president of policy and strategy for AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons), which represents people 50 years and older.
© Copyright 2007 USA TODAY
