Opinions on private healthcare

[Excitedannie]

I'm looking into private healthcare and am at the very start of the journey. I've done a comparison website just to start my research, and there seems to be three main levels - treatment and full diagnosis; treatment and part diagnosis and treatment only. I assume with the latter that you stay in the NHS route (ie blood tests, X rays etc) until they've diagnosed and which point you then decide whether to have the treatment private?

What I'm asking is whether there seems to be a main level that most people go for.

And it seems that most people just go with Bupa but there are lots of other companies - does anyone have any experience with the others?

Any opinions gratefully received!

Teen DD is with Bupa and I’m with Aviva through work, both fully comprehensive policies. Genuinely these days I wouldn’t be without it, it brings a massive peace of mind that if anything happens to either of us it can be sorted in a proper and timely manner. In the last few years DD has needed a tonsillectomy and I needed knee surgery. Through insurance both operations have been completely covered and sorted within a few weeks. Fabulous service. On the NHS where we are the wait to see a consultant is years alone!

A few years ago she needed major surgery to correct scoliosis which had developed quite suddenly. At the time I only had her covered under a Benenden policy who are very limited as to what they pay out for. She had to wait an entire year for her surgery on the NHS in massive amounts of pain, self conscious of her rapidly worsening spine and due to this not being able to go to school or do anything that teenagers should be doing. Watching her in agony for all of those months I told myself I’d never see my daughter in that position again, the NHS just is not something that can be relied on anymore. £50 a month on her Bupa is not something I can really afford but it’s a necessity and sad reality of the times we live in.

Out of the two Aviva are easiest to deal with by far, but Bupa have covered everything we’ve asked for with no issues so can’t really complain! Speaking to the consultants in work most have their families covered under Bupa.

I’m a huge fan of private healthcare, I wouldn’t be without it but I go for the highest cover with larger excess

I’m happy to pay a £500 excess per year to keep costs down. Have had £100 before but was getting vv expensive

I go for unlimited cover. That means that there’s no limit on outpatients such as appts scans bloods etc. Priority too is to have full London cover. This means that the kids are covered for the Portland, private wing at the Evelina and I think the Cromwell too. V important to me for range of consultants

for adults my priority is full cancer care, I need it to cover both the royal Marsden, the London clinic and London oncology centre. I don’t care what anyone says, private cancer care is a world away from NHS. For common early cancers such a breast it’s more convenient and quicker and more pleasant but broadly the same. For advanced and rarer cancers you can be a private patient in an nhs hospital, can choose who treats you, no eating for scans and results and most importantly you’ll often get a wider choice of drugs including those which are standard in other countries but deemed too expensive on the NHS

For other ops such as backs, hips and knees it’s just quicker.

ivr also got gp cover and full physio / osteopath / acupuncture

Aviva and Vitality have been outstanding for us. Only had BUPA and AXA through work

Thank you both for extremely helpful messages - really appreciated and I'm beginning to have an understanding of what I need to do