According to the New York Times, there is a real difference in the premiums paid by men and women of the same age for the same health insurance terms. The differences can be many hundreds of dollars. Even in an economy that was booming, it would be difficult to justify this price discrimination. It’s not enough to talk in general terms about the rising costs of health insurance at a time of rising employment. Various proposals talk of offering tax credits or other assistance to help in buying or maintaining private cover.

But the evidence shows that most medical insurance policies exclude maternity care - in fact, maternity care is usually offered for a substantial increased premium. So what does it come down to? It seems women take more care of their health. They visit their doctors more often to have regular check-ups, are more conscientious when converting their prescriptions into medication and then actually take the drugs. Just as important is the need to join a political campaign to prevent health insurers from using sex as a factor when fixing the premiums. There are anti-discrimination laws to protect people in the workplace and other areas of their lives. The same should apply when everyone seeks medical insurance.