Trump health pick Seema Verma says maternity coverage should be optional

[Ilsa]

Trump health pick Seema Verma says maternity coverage should be optional

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-trump-health-pick-says-maternity-coverage-should-be-optional-20170216-story.html

President Donald Trump's pick to lead the government's major health insurance programs says maternity coverage should be optional for patients.

Indiana health care consultant Seema Verma tells the Senate Finance Committee that patients — not the government — should determine the insurance benefits they need.

Verma was facing questions from Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow about the Obama-era health law. That law made maternity and newborn coverage a mandatory benefit for all health insurance plans.

Verma tells Stabenow that some women want maternity coverage and "some women might not choose that."

Republicans have criticized the law's requirement that insurers cover a standard set of "essential" benefits, including women's health services. snip

__________

Yeah, since I can't get pregnant any more, I don't need obstetric coverage. And if I'm 30 years old, I may not need medical care typical for geriatric patients. But instead of making every plan extremely precise, I thought the main idea was to pool coverage so it is affordable to everyone. Trying to do discount maternity care can be a costly disaster.

[rickford66]

1. Won't it cost more to customize each person's plan ?

[Ilsa]

2. I would imagine so. And if single young men who do not

Need maternity have any physical hobbies, whilk they have to pay more to, say, play rugby? Or basketball, because they might need orthopedic surgeons more often? How do they dice this up?