Niki Tsongas: “Some of the most egregious insurance industry practices in our health care system disproportionately harm women, and…”

“Some of the most egregious insurance industry practices in our health care system disproportionately harm women, and this needs to change. Under the current system, women pay more and get less and often are denied care. If a woman is of a certain age or is already pregnant, insurers can deny her, of all things, maternity coverage. In eight States, it is still legal for insurance companies to deny a woman coverage if she has been the victim of domestic violence. These examples illustrate how our current system discriminates against over 50 percent of the population of our country. And that is why I offered a motion on this important issue in last night's Budget Committee hearing. My Republican colleagues joined me in supporting this motion, acknowledging that heath care reform must end these harmful insurance practices. So many of the heath care reforms that are so important to women, families, and our Nation hang in the balance. We must pass these commonsense changes in our health care system.”