tructural Barriers to Health Care Access for Lesbians
Structural barriers that affect health care for lesbians include potential barriers presented by managed care systems and the fact that lesbian relationships are often not afforded the same legal standing as heterosexual marriages.
Managed Care. Most Americans indicate that their first choice is to see a physician in the physician's private office. Although some lesbians report that they prefer other types of providers (e.g., naturopaths, chiropractors, nurse practitioners) and to receive care in clinics, the majority report that they receive primary care from a medical doctor (Bradford et al., 1994b; Bybee and Roeder, 1990; Moran, 1996; White and Dull, 1997). Although data are not yet available to determine the impact of managed care on the quality of health care for lesbians, the committee believes that negative consequences are possible for the following reasons
