A situation currently exists in Australia that we believe is extremely discriminatory towards women. That being, the situation in the private health insurance industry where pregnancy is excluded from all but the most expensive policies.

Our organisation believes this is inherently discriminatory as women are forced to pay an increased premium for private health insurance just because of their gender. All conditions specifically related to male reproductive health (testicular torsion or cancer, prostate issues etc.) are covered in cheaper entry-level insurance policies but pregnancy is only covered in the top level of cover.

Arguments put forward by the insurers include that men, and women who are no longer of reproductive age, shouldn’t have to subsidise the costs of providing care to women who are pregnant.

Yet, women who purchase insurance policies automatically have cover for male specific diseases like testicular and prostate illnesses and subsidise the costs of providing these services they will never need. Men are not charged a different premium for  inclusion of specific male related conditions, nor are women offered a discount because they will not use these services.

The whole reason for the existence of insurance, is to spread the cost of coverage across the whole insured pool, so no one member has to pay the cost of a particular claim. This is a central piece of community loading in insurance and is being willfully excluded.

To give an example; if, as a result of an unplanned sexual encounter, a male with an entry-level insurance policy suffers medical complications, he is covered. If a woman from the same unplanned sexual encounter becomes pregnant, she does not enjoy health insurance coverage unless she is in the highest (and most expensive) tier of medical insurance policies and has completed the waiting time.

This is clearly unfair to women who are expected to pay higher insurance premiums merely because their gender means they may become pregnant.

NASOG believes this is an intolerable situation that deserves rectification and we call on private health insurers and the Australian Government to find a sustainable way to provide health insurance at an affordable rate for Australian women wishing to have a family.