To be considering private health insurance?

[FemaleDilbert]

Feel a bit bad posting this on NHS 70th birthday!!

We are considering whether we should have private health insurance.

Myself and 2DCs with no (known!) serious health issues. Our joint income is around £50k gross pa, so we are comfortable but not to the extent we wouldn’t notice an extra £60-£70 per month outgoing.

Do most people have private health insurance? Is it a sensible idea?

It’s the reverse to what you think - the NHS is best for emergencies. Boob lump? 2 week wait max. It’s elective surgeries like joint replacements, cataracts etc that get pushed back. Cataract surgeries are very lucrative for private surgeons as they don’t take long and people are more willing to pay as it’s not insanely expensive compared to other surgeries.

It will often be better paying for one off things. My parents once had the opportunity to get discounted private health insurance through a family member and they wouldn’t insure my mum for any gynaecology thing because she’d had kids. This was a while ago. They decided to PAYG instead and they’ve only paid for one MRI in 20 years.

I always come on these types of threads to remind people that private health insurance Is essentially like any other insurance provider and does not want to pay for your treatment - I used to be a private medical secretary and the race to the bottom with private healthcare is alarming. Don’t go for a cheap policy as you will end up paying for extras. Some of the biggest, best known providers are the worst IME. If you get something serious the NHS will probably treat you anyway - some consultants refer you back to their NHS teams.

It’s good for middling health complaints you would have to wait for on the NHS -like the cataracts op a PP meantioned or getting tonsils out etc. I personally find myself a bit queasy about ever taking out a policy cos I know what it’s like but I appreciate that there are people who are not young and healthy and can’t afford the wait they might have on the NHS.

Also it’s going to be more than £60 a month for a family of four.

Is private health care insurance worth it? It depends as a lot exclude scans, tests, physio and other things so it may be cheaper to pay as you need it. However if you do a lot of sports especially any contact sports I would have it as unless the injury is an emergency the waiting lists for ops are very long.

If it isn't an emergency with private healthcare you have to get a referral from your NHS GP and if your GP doesn't believe you are ill - which I have had before - they won't refer you regardless.

Then there is the issue if where you have the treatment. If your local NHS hospitals have private wings then it's probably preferable to a private hospital as if something goes wrong you have A&E, intensive care and high dependency unit beds immediately there. If something goes wrong in a private hospital you have to be transferred by ambulance to your nearest NHS A&E. This distinction is important if you are regarded as high risk.

When I looked into going private for an ENT procedure a few years ago I found I could have the op in 8 weeks rather than the 12 I waited on the NHS. The consultants would be the same and I wouldn't have students doing any part of my treatment. However as I only got the referral due to a student, at a practice where the GPs refused to believe anything was wrong, I was happy to go with the NHS.

I have friends' who have had breast cancer and how they are treated on the NHS is a complete postcode lottery. Those who have had private healthcare with cancer cover have been treated brilliantly from the get go.

£70 a month would give you a decent cash plan for a family if 4 ... not a medical plan ..

I'm a nurse and have private health insurance through DH's work. Always felt like a luxury but I would pay independently for it these days.

The NHS is on its knees. I've honestly not seen it this bad in 15 years. My team struggle e wry day to provide a basic service. It's really awful.

I could tell some shocking stories. Especially around delayed cancer diagnosis. Privately you have much more control

I do think private healthcare can do far too many to unnecessary invasive investigations, do that a def Nate down side

I have it thru work. Does anyone know if you can see a dietician thru Bupa for food insensitivities?

Yes sorry I should have been clearer - it is around £60-70 per adult and cheaper for the kids. DH can get a discount through work (not a massive one)

Go for it. I have private insurance and wouldn’t be without it. I’m a big supporter of the NHS and in an emergency, they’re great. Private insurance is good for things like orthopaedic surgeries because you can be done and dusted in weeks instead of months. It’s good for non serious conditions that bother you enough to not feel able to wait for the NHS.

I would get it but they don't cover pre-existing or chronic conditions ... which I've had since childhood so had no chance to be covered before I developed them🙄🙄

They're so much bloody faster and give you what you need.

We don’t have private cover but self fund when necessary . I’m in my early 50s and have never needed to go private until last year and that cost me around £1500 , for a couple of consultations and various blood tests . For us it makes better financial sense just to self fund .

@Shumpalumpa I don’t know about Bupa, but my friends had their DS tested privately - they paid for it as a one off. I think it was under £300 and they said it was worth every penny to get an answer and get him onto specialist milk powder (supplied through the NHS).

Thanks TakeMe, that's positive. I'll call Bupa.

@shumpalumpa, you need a diagnosis and referral from a consultant to see a dietician.

Having experienced private medical care I honestly can't see me ever being without it. It can feel like you're wasting money when you are paying in the hope that you never use it but honestly (god forbid) should you need to use it you'll be so grateful. Appointments that you'd wait months for on the NHS can usually be made within days and the facilities are so so different. I had a family member have a serious operation done privately and she had her own room with tv, WiFi, on-suite bathroom filled with towels etc, it was like a hotel!

I have it for me and DCs. Costs £120 per month with Aviva.
I work ft so to me it’s worth it. I’m a massive advocate of the NHS and agree that you only want NHS care in an emergency. Private hospitals are very poorly equipped to deal with emergencies.
But for everything else, I’m glad I have the private back up