To ask if you have private health insurance?

No but I have paid privately twice for tests when I didn’t want to wait. I have quite a few chronic health conditions and I think my premiums would be ridiculously high so have never looked in to it. My friend has it through her job, she would like to change jobs but stays because of the health insurance package.

No. I can't really justify the costs but I've also never had any issues getting care on the NHS. I had blood tests on Monday, had my results yesterday and have an appointment today for a follow up. I'm not sure what extra benefit I'd get from going private?

I do have private dental insurance but that's only because there are no NHS dentists taking on patients here.

My husband has it for all of us through work. We've had it for a decade but It's been worth its weight in gold for the past 3 years. Helped DS get a prompt diagnosis for Meniere's Disease which meant we got him onto a good medication regime quickly. I also used it to get a ligament repaired in my foot in 2022.

I hope Labour will manage to rescue parts of the NHS so it's not needed as much in future. But ultimately you get what you pay for. And people have got too used to hearing the myth that you can have ultra low taxes and still run a reasonable welfare state. I would honestly pay higher tax if it meant that the NHS was fit for purpose and people could get the care they need. Hate the thought of us moving towards a US type healthcare model.

Kids being covered was a priority for me. Since my kids were babies I had them privately. Not because I thought the doctors were better, well they were consultants rather than more junior doctors, but they all still had NHS practices. But because I could choose who I wanted them to see and more importantly had them seen without a wait. It’s also invaluable for chronic conditions NHS would make them wait for years for or wouldn’t do such as tonsils adenoids etc

I live in a part of the UK where there are no private psychiatric hospitals. I'm not sure how insurance would work for patients detained under MHA, more so requiring PICU. Maybe you would get a rebate?

I agree that psychiatric hospitals are terrible in general whether NHS or block beds in Cygnet/Priory et al. Good to hear you had a positive inpatient experience. I imagine the other main advantage would be easier access to psychological therapies which are rationed heavily in NHS.

Company PMI policies often cover pre-existing conditions, whereas those taken out individually do not.
I was amazed that my company policy covered my serious MH condition which I have had for 30+ years.
I spent a month in a private psychiatric hospital recently which was covered by my policy and was a much more comfortable and less traumatic environment than my previous stay in an NHS psychiatric hospital.

I'm a PMI sceptic. Fair enough if you have it as a work benefit you may as well rinse it. But I think PMI would be poor value for money in my circumstances. I have Bipolar Disorder - SMI is nearly always flat out excluded and I imagine would jack up the premium too. As much use as a chocolate fireguard if you find yourself detained in one of His Majesty's finest NHS acute psychiatric wards.

Surprised to see a lot here have their kids covered too. I assumed children's care was still one of the more responsive and better performing parts of the health service (especially for emergencies/serious illness).

I suppose it depends on one's attitude to health and tolerance for risk. I am not a heavy user of the NHS - I see a psychiatrist infrequently and get quarterly physical health monitoring for lithium. That's it.I haven't been to the GP in a decade and try to self manage as much as possible. My threshold for accessing healthcare is high and I am willing to 'play the odds' to some extent as an otherwise healthy adult in my early 30s. Honestly I would prefer spending my disposable income on enjoying my life now and saving the rest. If I were earning a high income and had dependants I would likely prioritise a critical illness and/or income protection policy before spending on PMI.

Hearing that some consultants are charging top up fees to BUPA patients because they consider the reimbursement rates inadequate is hardly as selling point. Likewise high excess. I get a lot more 'piece of mind' having a healthy emergency fund.

My whole family has it. I wouldn’t be without it.

Ýes, via my husband's job, but it's not that useful for us as we'd have to travel to the other side of the country to use their listed consultants/hospitals. Fine if you live in or near a major city, but they don't have proper or adequate coverage imo. We certainly wouldn't pay for it while living here.

Sorry for your dd's experience. I can understand your anger and frustration. My dd's experience was very different.

I still don't think the correct word is 'borderline neglectful' when many people do not have a choice in the matter.

I have Benenden which covers pre-existing conditions and a private policy through DH work. Wouldn’t be without it. Although I still pay for private prescriptions because the NHS doesn’t fund the treatment I need and neither policy pays for ongoing prescriptions for chronic conditions.

What are you even talking about?

Read the OP.

It is not borderline neglectful to not include children on PHI. I feel that the NHS is more responsive when it comes to treating children, than treating adults except for mental health where everyone is screwed.

It is expensive but I recently put the whole family on my company's policy because of the parlous state of the NHS.

Check the terms of the policy. Ideally it would be Medical History Disregarded (covers pre-existing conditions) rather than moratorium underwriting (you are covered for pre-existing conditions only if you were free from medication or treatment for two continuous years after the start of the policy).

No. I fully accept that if my time is up I will bow out gracefully (hopefully with some pain relief from the nhs).

I pay privately for health care. After the few horror stories I've heard about long waiting lists for treatment on the NHS, I've decided to err on the side of caution for DH, me and DD. It's about £130 a month for all 3 of us.

We do through my husband’s work but we never use it

Yes I do through work. It’s distasteful to say it’s ‘borderline neglectful’ to not have it given so many have no choice.

@Ditsycamper

I think it depends whereabouts in the UK you are.

Where we are, things aren't too bad for cancer care. My husband had a prostate cancer scare and everything was done so quickly.

We would also consider going abroad for certain treatments like hip replacements if we needed them. I haven't really looked in to it, as I haven't had to fortunately, but I think that some countries are beginning to cater especially for British customers who can't afford private treament in the UK. And I believe that the standards are just as good and perhaps better as long as you choose carefully.

Yes all of us is insured haven't used it yet thank god just gives me peace of mind

No. Just like many other people.

Always had it during my working life as part of my package for the whole family and it was a godsend. However the cost post retirement is in excess of £20k p.a for DH and I and I refuse to pay that amount. In the event we need anything doing and don’t want to wait will fund from savings.