BILLINGS -- Montana's candidates for state auditor clashed over gender-based insurance rates Friday, the issue being whether female customers should pay for women's health care.

In what was the last scheduled debate between Republican Duane Grimes and Democrat Monica Lindeen, the GOP candidate accused his opponent of suggesting his insurance policies discriminated against women. He demanded an apology.

"I think it's politically unfair that you were after me for discriminating against women because of bills I've carried in the past," Grimes said.

Specifically, Grimes, of Clancy, was referring to a bill he carried in the 1999 Legislature to repeal the state's "unisex" insurance law, which prohibits insurers from setting rates based on someone's gender. The insurance industry has long disliked the law.

The two were speaking to the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Montana Southeastern. The office of state auditor regulates insurance and securities industries. Term limits prevent current Auditor John Morrison from running again.

Grimes argued that the unisex law drives up costs because it's a mandate. Mandated coverage drives up the costs for everyone, he said, including for women it's intended to help. The social implications of mandated health care have to be balances against the costs, Grimes said.

Lindeen disagreed, saying that women's health issues affect everyone, including spouses, sons, siblings and coworkers. If a greater pool of insurers doesn't offset the cost of things like gynecological care and maternity coverage, women will have to shoulder the burden alone. Costs will increase, and in some cases, women won't be able to afford coverage.

"I don't recall ever saying you were discriminating against women, Duane," Lindeen said. "I believe in effective, reasonable regulation, and I'm in favor of some health care mandates."

Lindeen, of Huntley, said the best way for any industry to avoid government mandates was to provide the most extensive service possible at a fair cost. She told the crowd of mostly insurance industry operatives and financial advisers that when it came to regulations, consumers came first.

Both candidates agreed that the primary responsibility of the state auditor is to protect consumers. To that end, Grimes said he would not attempt to draft insurance regulations from the office, but rather would carry out whatever policies state lawmakers passed through the Legislature.

Both said to their experience as legislators and business owners made them qualified for the auditor's job.

Grimes, who ran a taxi service and warehouse business in Helena before selling them last year, spent 14 years in the Legislature as a state representative and senator from Clancy from 1993 to 2006.

Lindeen, who co-founded an Internet service business that she sold several years ago, served eight years in the Legislature as a state representative from Huntley from 1999 to 2006.