Sen. Kerry Calls for Protection of Older Americans from Discriminatory Higher Premiums

10/14/2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Finance Committee, vows to continue his push to limit the amount insurance companies can charge older Americans for healthcare premiums. During the Finance Committee’s debate on healthcare legislation, Kerry offered an amendment to impose a 2:1 limit on “age rating” which mirrors provisions in legislation approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

In response to the Kerry proposal, Chairman Baucus agreed to reduce the age rating band from 5:1 to 4:1. Kerry will continue to push for a lower age rating band with the ultimate goal of eliminating the discrimination of older Americans.

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“Allowing insurers to charge older Americans vastly higher premiums simply because of their age is discrimination, pure and simple. Insurers must compete based on price, value and customer satisfaction not by avoiding Americans based on their age or health. I will continue to fight to reduce the amount that insurers can charge older Americans and move our nation closer to the ideal of zero discrimination in health reform,” Sen. Kerry said.

“It is time to stop insurance companies from using age as an excuse to charge older Americans excessive premiums. We should be working toward a fair system where all Americans can afford coverage to get and stay healthy. We support Senator Kerry and his colleagues’ efforts to limit insurance companies to charging older people no more than two times more because of their age. We hope eventually to end age discrimination so all Americans can get the healthcare they need at a price they can afford,” Nancy LeaMond, Executive Vice President of AARP said in a statement.

Sen. Kerry has long been a voice against health care discrimination in all its forms. Earlier this year he introduced legislation to end the disparity between insurance premiums paid by men and women. That legislation was also included in the healthcare bill passed by the Senate Finance Committee.

Source: Senator John Kerry