Letter to Mary Beth Senkewicz, former Florida deputy insurance commissioner…
Dear Ms. Senkewicz,
You’re quoted in this morning’s New York Times article Gender Gap Persists in Cost of Health Insurance as stating “The gender gap continues. If insurers voluntarily began to narrow the gap, they could reduce the impact that will occur in 2014 when rates are expected to increase for many men under the age of 55.” You went on to suggest: “This is a business decision. Insurers may not want to raise rates for men because they might lose some customers.”
I don’t know if you’re married Ms. Senkewicz, but suffice it to say that a large percentage of American women are… And therefore, raising rates on men to satisfy someone’s definition of equality, would, in effect, negatively (and very directly) impact women… I do agree with you that insurers are “making a business decision”, however I do not agree with your presumption as to what that decision would be… I suspect it has to do with the insurers’ claims experience, as opposed to fear over losing the male customer…
Please, on behalf of women everywhere, do not lobby for the increase in rates on husbands gradually over the next 19 months… Trust me, their wives will prefer to pay the lower rate for as long as possible…
Sincerely,
Martin L. Mazorra