Increasing numbers of same sex couples / civil partnerships are finding private health insurance much more accessible to them over the past five years, with policies like those offered by Freedom Healthnet to individuals and gay couples giving fair and equal terms and conditions. This means that the gay population in the UK are getting much better access to private health care and the treatments and services provided privately. General health checks are just one of the benefits, but many gay and lesbian people do not realise that as well as being susceptible to everyday problems like high blood pressure, they may also need to inform their doctor of other factors which could lead to an increased risk of not only sexually transmitted infections, but other conditions they may not have considered.

The Gay Lesbian Medical Association has published two separate guides, advising gays and lesbians of those illnesses which they may not realise they are more susceptible to. The Gay and Lesbian Medical association say that, for both men and women, studies have shown that homosexuals may be more at risk from the effects of drug and alcohol abuse than their heterosexual counterparts, caused by the gay night club environment as well as from stresses of discrimination. This prejudice and the worry of hiding sexual orientation from family and friends can lead to an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Cancers of the breast and gynaecological areas pose a higher risk to lesbian women as they are exposed to more causing factors, the medical association state. These can easily be prevented with yearly examinations and routine mammograms which can be taken privately. Fitness, studies also report, is also a concern for the gay community, with women being more at risk to the effects of obesity, and body image being an issue for many men who may become susceptible to eating disorders like anorexia. Diet and exercise are both areas examined during routine health checks offered by private doctors, meaning that homosexuals in particular should not be hesitant about enquiring into getting a health insurance quote for themselves or their partners.