To spend £650 each month on health insurance?

[startingallover]

£650 pays out monthly to cover me, dh and our four children. We can't really afford it but we're making it a priority over other things. Dh wants us to cancel and says it's a waste of money. He says we could put some money in a pot and use it if we needed to pay for treatment. I know this wouldn't happen though as we have actually reduced our bill lately and have to pay £250 excess per year. Since then we are being far more careful. Cancer runs in my family and I do worry about getting ill. The peace of mind of being able to go in and get checked the same week is worth the sacrifices we make. But dh really wants me to cancel it. It's a big payment each week but I can't bring myself to ring up and cancel it. AIBU?

[startingallover]

Thanks everyone for the recent posts. I have actually uturned and will be going with AXA. It's £270 a month for us all (6 people) but is far more comprehensive and flexible. Thanks to you all though I am starting to think I might actually get rid of it altogether soon and pay into our own account. Baby steps though. Thanks again.

[ManeEvent]

Hi Startingallover, I asked my DB and he said he means they are good at getting routine stuff done quickly, (not just tonsils, he was being facetious !) but not necessary for more important things that you'd end up in nhs theatres for anyway.

[BigChocFrenzy]

Do your and your DP each have monthly spends, to use as you wish ?
If so and you can insure just yourself is within your monthly budget, it is entirely your decision:
you weigh up whether it is more important to you than posh handbags, spa days or whatever your spend would normally include.

If it is more than your monthly spend, then your OH is entitled to think you are using more than your fair share of the family budget.

So, it's not just a matter of considering whether private health is something you value, but also whether it is something you can afford.

[BigChocFrenzy]

I‘ve had health insurance since 1990, because I sometimes live & work in various EU countries and I wanted to be sure I always had insurance – the NHS wouldn‘t cover for the periods I was abroad.

I‘ll keep it if I retire in the UK.
The NHS is a good basic service, but not always allowed the latest drugs & procedures. There are gaping holes in its provision compared to say France , Germany or Sweden.

• The NHS delays KILLED one dear friend, after months of agony:
  NHS cancer treatment is usually good when it recognises you have something life-threatening, but the problem is you sometimes get fobbed off with false assurances about a condition that turns out to be serious.
  Private insurance treats you early, so can find a misdiagnosis before the wait kills you.
  
  
• For non-urgent ops, you choose time & place, no wait: My late mother was told she would have to wait months for “minor“ eye and toe operations that were painful and distressing for her, reducing her quality of life & mobility
  So, I paid privately each time (she was 40 years older, so my decent income came too late to get her insured)
  
  
• My mum and some elderly friends were treated poorly in NHS wards – not given food, water, continence pads when they couldn‘t help themselves (one was blind) and 2 friends said they were frightened to ask staff, who were rough or agressive.
  That‘s probably down to staff numbers and poor supervision, but the staff ratio at least for care / hotel type service was miles better when I‘ve visited private hospitals. They have far more time per patient.
  
  
• A private hospital normally has single rooms with bath. I would HATE to share a bedroom & bathroom with random strangers, especially with visitors crowded around the next bed if I‘m poorly and want privacy – a curtain is NOT enough.
  Then there is the abomination of mixed sex wards that AFAIK may still occur.
  
  
• My surgeon kept me in overnight after my one (minor) op, because he considered it safer. I certainly felt the need after a GA to just rest in a v comfy room, with staff around if I needed help. Not to get up and go home.
  However, he saidthat in his nhs job the overnight wouldn't be allowed, because I was low risk.
  
  
• A private hospital lets you choose from a wide range of meals, much better quality, my fried breakfast was to order, as was the steak I chose for supper etc. I was treated as a valued customer, with much more respect than in the NHS.
  I‘m very –fussy– particular about my food and I‘d rather starve than eat the NHS meals I‘ve seen when visiting.
  
  NHS facilities are usually quite dreary & dilapidated compared to private hospital ones. Modern loos, bright colours etc may be superficial, but make a great difference to my mood, even for a brief visit, let alone staying in hospital.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Sorry, missed your update OP. If you're not ready to get rid of the crutch, definitely reduce the cover.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Having worked in the NHS, you want private treatment for routine ops that the NHS don't have theatre time for as they're needed for cancer ops in order to meet cancer targets. In our Trust we had weekly meetings with top brass where we went through every patient on our suspected cancer pathway, pushed for diagnostic tests, results, got more theatre time etc. All to ensure our suspected cancer patients were seen within targets. With limited theatre time available, those patients got priority and so the waits for other operations especially routine, non-urgent things was long.

I'd therefore consider reducing your cover to include only the routine inpatient things or indeed just pay for a private initial consultation and switch to NHS for diagnostics/treatment. Lots of private consultants also work in the NHS so you could still see the same one for follow up. We would see this a fair bit.

I agree that private hospitals often aren't the best place for big operations, especially if they don't have an intensive care unit. The NHS is 24/7, so having a complication late on a Friday night doesn't mean there's no-one there, there's always on-call cover for emergencies. That might not be true for your local BUPA hospital.

I was looking at family BUPA cover and for us (DH had a non-cancerous mole removed 6 years ago) it was £150/month including two children. I think you're paying way over the odds.

[Badders123]

Hi, op.
I haven't read the full thread but wanted to give you my experiences.
I have been treated as both an NHS and private patient and I have to say, for treatment the NHS wins hands down every time.
Where the private sector is better is at being seen quickly...I am covered by Dhs work bupa cover for this and have used it a few times for gynae referrals etc.
I had an op 2 years ago and whilst the op was fine the aftercare was dire.
It simply didn't exist. When I rang the private hospital about complications I was told to go to a and e!
This is very common.
So...if I were you I would put some money an account each month...whether £100/200 to cover any future private consultations but would always get procedures done on the NHS.
Good luck.

[tiggerkid]

It's an incredible amount to pay for health insurance per month but whether it's unreasonable depends on what that insurance covers and the likelihood of you needing to use it. To be honest, I've not really heard about many people in the UK choosing to pay that amount of money for PMI. Mostly, as others have already pointed out, because of the availability of NHS. However as I've already mentioned it all very much depends on what your insurance covers, your age, claims history and the likelihood of having to claim again.

If the likelihood of your entire family having to claim for some very serious conditions is very high, then I would probably understand why you want to pay for it. Some NHS trusts provide a really bad service and waiting lists alone can kill you!

[TheFormidableMrsC]

This is a really good result, well done OP! I would also recommend getting some help for your health anxiety...I too suffer from that and I am constantly trying to keep a lid on it. I know how difficult that can be. Really glad you're going to have a holiday!

[Samantha28]

That's a great result OP. But I'd urge to get some help for your health anxiety too .

What are you going to do with the money that you will save on your insurance premiums ?

I still think that you and your Dh have very different attitudes towards money, saving and spending . It might be worth trying to discuss these now, and not waiting until there is a decision that needs to be made and it becomes a crisis.

[notenoughbottle]

I can understand you're anxiety surrounding cancer too. My ddad was diagnosed just before Xmas with cancer and almost five weeks to the day yesterday he has had his cancer removed and a successful bowel resection done all on the NHS. Yes a wait was frustrating but in reality this was nothing and my dad is receiving the best of care. On the other hand we paid privately for my ds to be assessed privately by an SLT and EP before Xmas as this was one area that the NHS was failing in for is. Yes private healthcare can be reassuring but I think you've come to a good conclusion OP.

[LittleLionMansMummy]

Good result op, well done and I totally understand your anxiety around cancer.

Personally I wouldn't choose to pay to go private because I believe our NHS is absolutely fantastic for treating emergencies and life threatening illness. Fil went for a well man check and was diagnosed with bladder cancer last April on the NHS. He was operated on in May and goes back every month for a chemo flush. The cancer is gone and they're now preventing it coming back. Mil got breast cancer some years ago and is likewise now cancer free and the NHS also did the complicated reconstructive survey for her. They both have nothing but praise for the NHS.

But getting to see a GP in the first place is a particular bug bear for me!

[Topseyt]

Well done OP. Good decision I would say.

Now save up for that family holiday and build some lovely memories with your children. I am with your DH there too. Those memories are priceless.

[startingallover]

Manevent - hope you're fighting fit now - sorry you had to wait so long. May I ask why your brother says that about Bupa? Do you know?

[ManeEvent]

New cover sounds much more reasonable. Don't worry too much about the cancer treatment aspect.

IME private healthcare is what you need for minor and non-urgent treatment, NOT critical or life threatening conditions where the NHS comes into its own.

Last year my DF had to have an emergency quadruple heart bypass with private cover,(was done with private cover, yet was in an NHS hospital as they needed the cardiac intensive care facilities a private hospital didn't have- they just weren't up to it)

Similarly my DM had an innovative stem cell treatment and again her private cover wasn't any real use- got her a private room 2 feet from the rest of the ward and that was about it, again too complex for private hospital

I can't afford private cover and really struggled last year waiting to get to the top of the gallbladder removal waiting list as couldn't afford the cost of the surgery privately- for things like this it would be great, but then the cost of the op would have been less than 5K, (which I'm guessing wouldn't be such a stretch for you as me, judging by what you have been paying)

(My brother is a GP and he says Bupa are for tonsil removal and cateracts only)

[YohY]

Also quick turnover ops that don't require hospital stays

More complicated and involved stuff is best kept in NHS boundaries, same surgeons anyway

[YohY]

Sorry with low complication rates

[YohY]

Private healthcare is good for routine straightforward ops with lie complication rates hence why cataract surgery for instance is booming business for ophthalmologists or was before they reduced how much they paid per cataract operation I think in 2012

[startingallover]

Weebarra - so glad you're ok now. And yes, burning bridges - absolutely!!! It was rather unanimous so I had to do something. Haven't actually closed Bupa - will do that this week. We've had it for 20+ years so I am worried about letting this crutch go. But you've helped me see sense. Dh has already mentioned spending the extra on a family holiday. Thanks everyone. And thanks for being kind.

[BurningBridges]

Brilliant result. Power of Mumsnet etc!

[weebarra]

Very happy. I had access to very good anti sickness drugs and a different chemo regime than I would have been able to access through the NHS. Radiotherapy needs to be done through the NHS as private hospitals don't have the machines, and if anything had gone wrong with my surgery I would have had to transfer to a NHS icu. But for chemo it was great.

[startingallover]

Thanks weebarra. Was you happy with your treatment via Spira at such a difficult time?

[weebarra]

I had my cancer care through spire and my oncologist was the same I had on the NHS.

[rookiemere]

That's a much better deal starting and those premiums seem much more in line with what I was quoted when I was looking to leave work and getting private cover.

[startingallover]

Thanks everyone. I'm sorted. I'm joining April Health Care - it only includes Spire Hospitals but that's our usual one anyway. There will also be a couple of exclusions for me due to pre-existing conditions but nothing major. The great news is that it's going to be £199 monthly for me, dh and all four children. Hugely better than £650 with a £250 excess. Even dh thinks this is a good deal and wants me to go ahead instead of cancelling completely. Slightly worried that spire aren't really known for cancer care but hopefully they are. And I do agree with you all that this would probably be better under the NHS. Really relieved. Thanks for your help.