
Following Discrimination Allegations, Insurer Will Stop Denying Coverage Based on PrEP Usage
Mutual of Omaha has agreed to no longer deny life insurance and long-term insurance to people using Truvada for HIV prevention following allegations of discrimination in 2 separate settlements.
The insurer Mutual of Omaha has agreed to no longer deny coverage to individuals using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention following allegations of discrimination in 2 separate legal settlements.
As part of the agreement, Mutual of Omaha will make a $25,000 payment to the state and has revised its underwriting practices to ensure that it doesn’t deny, rate, or otherwise take any adverse action against any Massachusetts resident who applies for any type of accident, life, sickness, or health insurance with the insurer, including long-term care insurance, based on the applicant’s use of PrEP.
Under terms of the settlement, the insurer will offer consumers who were previously denied coverage the ability to reapply for insurance under these revised guidelines. For those who qualify for insurance under the insurer’s current guidelines, Mutual of Omaha has agreed to honor the premium rates in effect at the time of the consumer’s original application.
In a separate but related case, an unidentified man represented by GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) settled with the insurer, who will issue a long-term care insurance policy to the man.
“Consumers looking to protect themselves from HIV transmission should not be excluded from buying insurance,” said Healey in a statement. “Under this settlement, Mutual of Omaha will provide relief to affected customers who faced this discrimination. We are pleased to join GLAD today in sending a message to insurance companies that these unlawful practices will not be tolerated.”
The settlements only affect Massachusetts residents and apply to the 1 insurer. According to
Last February, New York also
In November, the US Preventive Services Task Force
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