to wonder if anyone pays for private healthcare?

[happyhoggy]

well, do you get the same questions like those who pay for education?

fortyplus,

you are right, it is invisible so its not open to ridicule and stereotyping that comes with pvt education

Friend's DH had to have knee op - he's self employed and was told he wouldn't be able to work (as a plumber) for 8 weeks after.

He got his op date through and kept his diary clear for the 8 weeks after, however op was cancelled the week before so he was left without work.

He got another op date through and the same thing happened - so he'd lost best part of 4 months work and still had not had the operation - he ended up paying for the next op cos he couldn't afford to loose any more work.

It's not always about jumping the queue.

We all get PHI from DH's work. But there is an excess, so don't claim unless NHS wait is "unacceptable".

There are exclusions eg pregnancy, and when DS1 needed an operation it was excluded as the problem was apparent at birth.

IME, what it means in practice is that you see the NHS specialist that you want, when you want (without any wait).

If you do need surgery then its done in a hospital that resembles a hotel.

We both receive private healthcare and dental benefits via our jobs however we are fortunate in that we are both vert healthy and haven't needed to use the healthcare option.

For routine treatment like new hips etc the cost of having them done on private insurance is far higher than just saving up for 40 years.

However, its for things like cancer you need the NHS.

Our family have used both.