A survey has discovered that 41% of gay men do not know that they are HIV positive. The investigation, which was carried out in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Brighton and Edinburgh, found that of the 3500 men who took part, nearly one in ten tested positive. More worrying is the large number who are oblivious to HIV. Equally as concerning is the large number of HIV positive men who have previously had tests and still thought they were free from the disease. Out of 92 percent who had been tested, the figure who thought they were HIV negative was nearly two thirds of that, at 62.3 percent.

Experts are concerned that despite being aware of their condition, HIV positive men are still having unsafe sex. Will Nutland, Terrence Higgins Trust's Strategic Lead in Health Promotion told PinkNews, “All of the data shows that at the point of HIV diagnosis it is men who practice unsafe sex who are more likely to be found to be HIV positive, but I don't believe it is the case that men start to practice unsafe sex after they find out their status. What is most concerning about these results is the large amount of gay man who are unaware of their HIV status.” HIV is the sexually transmitted virus which leads to AIDS. The disease leads to many health conditions through a weakened immune system, including rare forms of cancer, loss of vision and some mental health problems. It is advisable for everyone to have a regular general health check-up which involves tests for HIV as well as other health conditions like diabetes and blood pressure. Freedom Healthnet offers fairness in all their policies and offers private medical insurance for homosexuals with equal benefits and conditions.

Gay and unmarried couples are getting unfair treatment when it comes to employee health insurance benefits. That’s according to a survey carried out in America in 2006 which found that married couples are much more likely to be given a private health insurance policy through their workplace than those who are simply cohabiting. The research found that one in five in same sex relationships did not have employee private health cover, compared to only ten per cent of married couples.

Employee health insurance has been proved to be very beneficial for both the worker, with a better general health and access to good quality and efficient treatment, and for the employer, with fewer days lost to sickness each year. Homosexuals will be put at a big disadvantage if they are denied access to private healthcare, meaning they are more likely to become ill and lack medical treatment when they need it. Brad Sears, executive director of the Williams Institute Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy who carried out the research, told PinkNews, "When employers do not provide equal coverage for the important long-term, committed relationships of unmarried employees, those employees' families are vulnerable to receiving poor or no health care.”

Freedom Healthnet has provided health insurance policies with equal coverage for both homosexual individuals and couples, since the company was set up four years ago. Many gay people have felt discriminated against in the past and have been put off getting a quote for private medical insurance because of this, but such discrimination should no longer be the norm. Homosexual employees can also be covered at no extra cost in Freedom’s corporate health insurance policies meaning that there is no reason for them to be put at a disadvantage any longer.

Gay individuals and same sex couples are more likely to become susceptible to the latest strain of MRSA, according to the latest study in America. The USA300 bug has been very prominent amongst the gay communities of Castro in San Francisco and can lead to a type of pneumonia which eats flesh in the lungs, as well as causing large boils and even fatalities from blood poisoning. Many homosexuals here in the UK are deciding to make the most of health insurance policies, either as an individual or as part of a couple to ensure that top quality private treatment centres are accessible to them to reduce chances of developing an infection. People may also decide to get an online quotation for health insurance to reassure themselves that an efficient and trustworthy healthcare service is available to them if they ever contract the illness.

The research was published by in Annals for Internal Medicine earlier on this year and is based on medical records from both medical centres and outpatient clinics in San Francisco and Boston. It found that around 3,800 people, or one in 588, had the bug in the area. It also discovered that USA300 was thirteen times more likely to be carried by a gay person. Although there have been only two recorded cases in the UK so far of the MRSA strain, which is resistant to many types of common antibiotics, the high numbers remain a concern for many people, and may cause them to consider a health insurance policy as a precautionary measure.

Professor Mark Enright, from Imperial College and St Mary's Hospital, London, Britain's leading authority on MRSA, told the BBC: "It's quite surprising that the figures are so high. We do know that the USA300 strain is extremely good at spreading between people through skin-to-skin contact. The main reservoir for this infection is gay men, drug users, and those involved in contact sports, like wrestling.”

Smear tests are now offered as routine tests every three to five years for each woman between the ages of 25 and 65 in the UK, both on the NHS and as part of thorough health checks offered through some health insurance policies. They are vital in the early detection of illnesses such as cervical cancer, and are said to save up to 6000 lives every year but many women feel embarrassed by the thought of going for such a test and bypass the procedure. However, research has shown that up to half of all new cases of cervical cancer come from those women that have never or rarely had a simple smear test.

It is feared that lesbians might be more at risk from the disease as many have the preconceived thought that because they have never had intercourse with a man, or not for a long time, that they are unlikely to develop cervical cancer, but this is far from the case. The disease is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, which many women are led to believe only occurs in women who have had a heterosexual relationship, but around one in five who have never come into close contact with a man have the virus. Some doctors and nurses have even misled women by telling them that such a test is unnecessary. This, and the fact that many lesbians feel isolated from previously discriminating health insurance policies, may mean that they are discouraged from visiting a health centre for the pain-free examination that could potentially save their lives.

Private health insurance companies such as Freedom Healthnet, have offered discrimination free policies ever since the company was set up four years ago, meaning that either as an individual or as part of a same sex couple or civil partnership, the gay and lesbian community are getting quotes for private medical cover.

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.

It has long been believed that private health insurance companies have held a certain level of discrimination towards gay individuals and same sex couples when giving a quote for medical cover. Many people have been put off approaching the system because of this, meaning that they could be missing out on the top quality level of care and treatment that they are entitled to. Attitudes towards homosexual couples have changed dramatically in the last few years, not only generally over the whole of society, but with private health insurance in particular.

Previously, insurers could ask in depth, personal questions about the applicant’s health, including direct inquiries into a person’s sexuality and whether they had come into contact with HIV/AID’s. It was also possible for companies to require someone to complete a HIV test before they would consider a level of medical cover for them. Not only did this cause embarrassment and stress, but homosexuals would very often have to pay more for their private medical insurance.

All that changed. On World AID’s Day in 2006, the Association of British Insurers laid down a set of guidelines stating that such personal questions about someone’s sexuality are not to be asked, and companies cannot make assumptions about sexual orientation from occupation, living arrangements or medical history. The organisation’s director of general insurance and health, Nick Starling told financial website thisismoney.co.uk, “The insurance industry is united against discrimination and in support of treating people fairly.” The industry has since seen more equality for gay and same sex couples.



However, it is interesting to note that insurers like Freedom Healthnet have been offering private medical insurance for same sex couples as part of their policies for couples ever since the insurance scheme was created, over four years ago. As with any insurance policy, the usual exclusions apply. With discrimination no longer existing in the system, increasing numbers are feeling more comfortable with the process and deciding to take out the fair and equal private health insurance policy that they deserve.