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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Chickydoo]

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

[Lonecatwithkitten]

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

[Orangesandlemons77]

Do some consultants only take e.g. bupa?

[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.

[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]

@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.

[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

[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.

[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!

[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.

[Orangesandlemons77]

Thanks for the replies, really helpful.

[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

[KnittedCardi]

We have a BUPA corporate policy which covers the DD's too. It does cost inasmuch as you lose tax allowance on it, but still good value. Never had anything refused.
Recently had a run of bad health. DH had lots of physio for a bulging disc, now getting a steroid and nerve block injection. Had all the scans etc too. I have recently had tummy issues, got an appointment within a week, and in four weeks elapsed have seen consultant, had a CT and an MRI, and a gastroscopy.

DD at uni has access to Babylon, and also had some gynea issues she got referred to in her uni town. She also gets blocks of MH counselling.

So well worth it for us recently.

[Orangesandlemons77]

That's good to hear Knitted

[CallintheClowns]

@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

I'm not sure what you are asking here @Orangesandlemons77 ???

Most policies won't cover for existing cancer (pre condition) or if they do it will be on very specific grounds (perhaps long term remission etc.)

But if you want cover to pay for diagnostic tests, surgery and treatment of cancer once you are insured then you need to check the policy carefully.

My policy won't cover anything for within 2 weeks of taking out cover, and no cancer cover before 3 months.

Each insurers policy is different regarding how much on-going, long term treatment they would pay for. It's in the small print and you need to read it carefully.

My policy also covers counselling (with a recognised counsellor). MH obviously included everything from needing consultant psychiatry, to less-serious counselling.

[Orangesandlemons77]

I was wondering if Bupa's cover might be better for mental health. Because insurer's say they don't cover chronic conditions just acute.

I'm not sure, maybe I have got it wrong but that seemed the case. I would need to check.

[CallintheClowns]

@Orangesandlemons77

I was wondering if Bupa's cover might be better for mental health. Because insurer's say they don't cover chronic conditions just acute.

I'm not sure, maybe I have got it wrong but that seemed the case. I would need to check.

You are possibly mistaken.

Very few private insurers cover chronic conditions, with the exception of cancer, where treatment can carry on till remission (but they need up to date reports all along the way from the drs.)

The basis of private insurance is diagnosis and treatment.

Ongoing treatment for MH is a grey area. What do you mean by MH? If it's something that needs a psychiatrist, (or a counsellor) they' d pay for a consultation, diagnosis, and that would presumably include drugs if necessary, or talking therapy for a set period of time.

Many policies now include a certain amount of counselling but it's likely to be limited to a number of sessions or a certain amount of fees. You're not going to be covered for years and years of counselling or psychiatry.

And they won't cover you for MH if it's a pre-existing condition anyway.

[Orangesandlemons77]

Yes, I see thanks Callintheclowns.

I think we may stick with Benenden for now, partly for cost reasons.

[AnnieApple123]

@CallintheClowns

You are possibly mistaken.

Very few private insurers cover chronic conditions, with the exception of cancer, where treatment can carry on till remission (but they need up to date reports all along the way from the drs.)

The basis of private insurance is diagnosis and treatment.

Ongoing treatment for MH is a grey area. What do you mean by MH? If it's something that needs a psychiatrist, (or a counsellor) they' d pay for a consultation, diagnosis, and that would presumably include drugs if necessary, or talking therapy for a set period of time.

Many policies now include a certain amount of counselling but it's likely to be limited to a number of sessions or a certain amount of fees. You're not going to be covered for years and years of counselling or psychiatry.

And they won't cover you for MH if it's a pre-existing condition anyway.

This. I used to be with Bupa on a fairly standard non-corporate policy. I believe it covered 10 sessions with a recognised MH practitioner after diagnosis.

I’ve now switched to AXA and deliberately chose a policy with no MH cover as - unless you need daypatient or inpatient cover - just paying out-of-pocket makes more sense to me.

[Orangesandlemons77]

I see. This has turned into quite a useful thread.

What about things like cardiac, brain or cancer surgery would the private hospitals be able to do these or would it be the NHS?