Sonia Michelet, a D.C. resident, says it's "unfair." "I definitely don't understand why it should be that way," she said.

Women pay as much as 49 percent more than men for identical health insurance policies. Insurers say that's because women between the ages of 19 to 55 tend to cost more, especially during their childbearing years.

The study claims the disparities were discovered in the premiums of major health insurers, including Humana, United Health Group and Aetna.

"Given that in order to bear children, it usually involves a man and a woman, it would seem that the cost would be distributed more evenly," said Anita Ballantyne, a D.C. resident.

But even for policies that don't cover maternity, women are charged higher premiums, the study found.

Insurance companies say women are more likely to get checkups, take prescriptions and address chronic illnesses.

"I'm actually amazed something like that would actually happen," said Kathleen Mandazi, a D.C. resident. "If anything, I would think that we should be getting better costs on things than men do."

Some states have laws that prohibit gender-based premiums.

Email To A Friend