Women are punished in the health insurance industry both because they take better care of themselves, and because they have babies. Of course, not all women have babies, and regardless of this, women should not be punished for making use of their health insurance. Women belonging to a group policy do not have the option of opting out of maternity coverage, so a woman in Florida working for an employer who offers a group plan may do better with an individual policy in which she can have maternity coverage excluded. Experts also suggest working out a cash plan with hospitals for maternity care. Most hospitals will set up a payment plan. Or a women can purchase a specific maternity plan. Overall though, there are ways to get around the gender bias, but not entirely. Does this bias need to be elminated, or is it justified? For more information on this topic, please visit the number one health insurance forum on the WEB today.