Private medical insurance

[Orangesandlemons77]

Considering this. Do you have it? Who do you recommend. Family of 4.

Does it cover things like hip / knee replacements? Thanks for any recommendations.

Have been looking at Aviva, Vitality and the Exeter. Also Benenden (have Benenden already)

Aviva have a reasonable policy which kicks in if the wait for treatment is over 6 weeks. Thinking of combining this with Benenden who I have used in the past for diagnosis and liked.

But would it be better / easier just to have one policy overall.

Been quoted around £60 just for the Aviva as mentioned (which would then include Benenden at £47 a mont for 4) or around £100-120 a month.

[Orangesandlemons77]

I'm interested in what Bupa say about not regarding Cancer and Mental Health as Chronic conditions. Wonder if this means they might give more cover therefore.

MH in the NHS is woeful so could be useful

[Orangesandlemons77]

Thanks for the replies, really helpful.

[CallintheClowns]

@Orangesandlemons77 You need to insure for things that you couldn't possibly afford to pay for in cash. eg some people could afford £10K for a new hip, but not £150,000 for a year of cancer treatment.

Ideally, you are insuring for worst case scenarios and treatment that is available privately but not on the NHS (certain drugs for cancer.)

I pay around £1400 a year with WPA, but I have taken it out on the basis of paying 25% of any claim up to an annual total of £5K. That's affordable to me and reduces the annual premium.

I'm in my 60s and the cover includes all cancer treatment and premium hospitals. I didn't take out dental cover as part of the package as that was extra and I pay for a private dentist anyway.

[1990s]

I’ve got Vitality and used it a fair for outpatient and being admitted.

Never had to pay upfront, always been given an authorisation code.

Would be surprised if there are different rules for different policies but of course check!

[dew141]

@Orangesandlemons77

Do some consultants only take e.g. bupa?

Most consultants take AXA and BUPA. A couple of my friends are private consultants and it depends on their willingness to accept the fee caps that the insurers put on them.

For example, the consultant's rate for my recent surgery was £800 for AXA and £1,500 for self-pay so quite a big difference in what they receive.

[princesssparklepants]

We have vitality via work... we never pay anything upfront.... don't even have to pay any excess.
Also get an annual health fund to use on things like dentist, eye checks. Physiotherapy fund which is pretty much self referral.

Plus discounts on lots of things if you are active

[wiffin]

@BrassicaBabe

BUPA. Family of 4. Just over 3k per year.

To best honest I thought that was huge. I keep hearing about cover for stuff all per month. But I've also found the service to be excellent when needed so scared to move elsewhere for a lesser fee.

Think how much it would cost if there were no nhs.

The nhs is far from perfect. But private is ££££££ and run with wholly different priorities.

[BrassicaBabe]

BUPA. Family of 4. Just over 3k per year.

To best honest I thought that was huge. I keep hearing about cover for stuff all per month. But I've also found the service to be excellent when needed so scared to move elsewhere for a lesser fee.

[wiffin]

Afaik they have to be registered with a provider to be able to process it. A Dr doesn't have to take a private provider if they offer shit terms.

It's private healthcare. It's very different to the nhs.

[Orangesandlemons77]

Do some consultants only take e.g. bupa?

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Vitality do pay direct I just had a cardiology work up and all I had pay was my £100 excess.

[Chickydoo]

I'm with AXA
In my 50's no pre-existing conditions, full cover £3k a year

[Orangesandlemons77]

@dew141

That's surprising, I am 46 and being quoted around £60-£100 a month.

I think it's covering the arthritis that puts the cost up. Also as I'd been with them for 30 odd years, they had all my claim history and I've used it for various things over the last five years.

You could try Benenden as it is the same price for everyone as a fall back perhaps, I have used them recently and been happy with it.

[wiffin]

With private healthcare you get what you pay for. There isn't such a thing as cheap healthcare, unless you want the absolute basics and or you are happy to top up.

It's very common for cover to be part of an appointment but not all. Depends what the Dr charges. For example you may have an outpatient cover of £160 for 3 appointments a year. Then find the Dr charges £245.

Depending on what you want cover for it can be cheaper to self pay. Different Drs will accept different ptivate health care. Most will accept self pay.

[dew141]

That's surprising, I am 46 and being quoted around £60-£100 a month.

I think it's covering the arthritis that puts the cost up. Also as I'd been with them for 30 odd years, they had all my claim history and I've used it for various things over the last five years.

[GrinchmasEve]

We have Bupa cover through a corporate policy. The cover for us is excellent - as it’s corporate, it covers pre-existing conditions too (though only exacerbations of chronic conditions, not the day-to-day management of them).

They’ve always been easy to deal with and we have had investigations and surgeries completed very quickly.

[WildFlowerBees]

We have WPA so far they've been good. Dh couldn't get a gp appointment for pain relief called our insurance GP called within 2 hours and had a prescription that night.

[AnnieApple123]

@dew141

I did look at continuing AXA cover on a personal basis and the quote was £18k a year (gulp). I'm in my late 40s and in good health. So the work scheme it is.

Woah! My parents, both in their 70s, are with Bupa and only pay around £10K.

[Blanketunderstars]

We have vitality, I’ve had to use them last year for consultations and ultimately surgery. We never had to pay anything upfront. You get approved for treatment, then the hospital bills them direct- well that was my experience.

[Orangesandlemons77]

@dew141

I did look at continuing AXA cover on a personal basis and the quote was £18k a year (gulp). I'm in my late 40s and in good health. So the work scheme it is.

That's surprising, I am 46 and being quoted around £60-£100 a month.

[Orangesandlemons77]

@amylou8

I used an online broker called activequote for my policy. I wouldn't normally use a broker for anything, but I didn't really know what I needed, so it seemed sensible, and they were really helpful. I ended up with Bupa.

Just had a look at this and it looked pretty useful. Thanks

[dew141]

I did look at continuing AXA cover on a personal basis and the quote was £18k a year (gulp). I'm in my late 40s and in good health. So the work scheme it is.

[Orangesandlemons77]

@dew141

I've just been switched from AXA to BUPA under a work scheme. Obviously policy specific but our BUPA policy is very mean on outpatient limits.

AXA paid for my first hip replacement but I had to get an exemption as the London hospital I wanted to have it at wasn't part of my plan (although the surgeon was). I'm about to have the other side replaced which BUPA are funding but only as it was pre-arranged before the policy moved from AXA.

I have arthritis which complicates things with private health insurance. If you can get them to cover a long-term, chronic condition, they'll typically pay for intervention-type treatment but not routine monitoring. So they've covered steroid injections for example.

You could join Benenden it's only £11 a month to add to diagnostics, I have found them very good.

[dew141]

I've just been switched from AXA to BUPA under a work scheme. Obviously policy specific but our BUPA policy is very mean on outpatient limits.

AXA paid for my first hip replacement but I had to get an exemption as the London hospital I wanted to have it at wasn't part of my plan (although the surgeon was). I'm about to have the other side replaced which BUPA are funding but only as it was pre-arranged before the policy moved from AXA.

I have arthritis which complicates things with private health insurance. If you can get them to cover a long-term, chronic condition, they'll typically pay for intervention-type treatment but not routine monitoring. So they've covered steroid injections for example.

[Orangesandlemons77]

Thanks for the replies.

Benenden Health are owned by Bupa and use their codes etc I wonder if they use the same GP helpline too.

For now we are with them but think may consider Bupa as well in future.