It is equally critical that clinical research explore the differences in the way common diseases appear in women and men, and the differences in how women and men respond to individual drugs or treatments. Health plans should not stand in the way of advancing research into women's health by prohibiting participation in clinical trials or otherwise discriminating against women who participate in them. Nor should they deny coverage for medical expenses incurred in connection with clinical trials that they would otherwise routinely cover. Because women use more health services and generally have lower incomes than men, affordable care is especially important to them. As employers pass on a greater share of health care costs to employees, an increasing number of the poorest workers are declining health care coverage due to cost.
Many providers still practice medicine based on the traditional male model of biology and disease.
Health plans can play a pivotal role in advancing the practice of gender-based medicine, and they should make sure women have access to both primary care and specialty providers who are trained to meet their particular health care needs. Health plans use rules known as clinical practice guidelines to direct providers in selecting treatments and to help plans determine what treatments or services to cover. The plan's clinical practice guidelines should be developed by knowledgeable experts and specialty groups, not the plan's accountants. In this era of cost-consciousness, women are particularly at risk of not being appropriately treated for conditions like heart disease for which women already tend to receive less aggressive treatment than men. As a result, women can benefit from efforts to measure underutilization of such services.