To ask for recommendations for health insurance cover for people with pre existing issues

[cultkid]

I have had a number of issues pop up and I've had them seen to privately a lot of the time as I was so worried which have been so expensive

But the thing is I'm getting increasingly aware of things that I never ever thought would be an issue becoming an issue and I am only 28

I've read about independent insurance advisors, can anyone make a suggestion because I don't want to be caught out?

Also how much do you reckon it could cost, into the thousands? I'm worried about cancer.

Can I ask why you havent used the NHS?

If private healthcare is becoming expensive and you're worried about the expense, you're only going to become more worried when you legitimately cant afford to see a private DR.

The NHS has waiting times, yes but it is still a completely valid healthcare resource that you can use.

Why are you worried about cancer, if I may ask? Is it hereditary? Or is it just a concern?

My mum got diagnosed twice this year with facial cancers all within a week of seeing a dr on the NHS. Theyve been brilliant.

What doublebubblebubble says.

Most private consultants are NHS consultants who do part time private part time NHS. This is because the volume of work simply means you wont get sufficient expertise in say, oncology, solely as a private practitioner in the UK.

There are areas of medicine where private practise has a lot to offer in the UK, but it tends not to be the "life and death" areas like oncology, cardiology, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, emergency medicine. Its things like cosmetic surgery, IVF, physiotherapy.

The NHS is amazing when you are really ill.

I'm very anxious and I worry about dying after my pregnancy with my son when things weren't seen properly because of a lack of continuity of care. If the doctors and nurses had the time to review me properly maybe sepsis could have been avoided the three times it snuck up on me.

It would have been great to have a paediatrician to talk to to know that maybe my baby would need special care.

I would have preffered nerve blocks instead of being put on a fentanyl patch at the ripe old age of 23...

I would rather an intervention with things like physio, injections etc instead of pills. I am just getting over the latest withdrawal from painkillers and basically evaluating my life thinking thank god I've been able to over come it again.

There is cancer on my mums side of the family (her parents both of them) and my dads mum.

Neither of my parents or aunties or uncles (blood) have had cancer

In the summer a mole I've had for years went all funny. I showed it to the nhs in the wait time but the consultant said it was ok. I just wanted it off because He didn't even ask for a history and my mums dad died from skin cancer.

I have lost a heap of weight this year. I know this year has been shit. I'm anxious, I'm aware of that, but I just don't want to die from something because money was basically the end reason for something being unavailable,

There's a little girl nearly dying in my town from cancer and although the funding is being done by the community, if she had access to rapid diagnostics then maybe it wouldn't have gotten so bad. Her parents knew something was wrong and insisted on several occasions before being taken seriously, and this is NOT the exception to the rule it is the rule

The nhs is broken and I don't want to debate the ins and outs of it because I don't actually feel it's a truly free service at the point of use since it's a lotto who can get their doctor to hear them out anyway.

I'm thinking basically about getting cancer and if there was a medicine which cost literally hundreds of thousands that the nhs couldn't afford to give me

Sorry i know it's morbid

I'm not having a dig at the nhs I promise

Doublebubblebubble

Can I ask why you havent used the NHS?

If private healthcare is becoming expensive and you're worried about the expense, you're only going to become more worried when you legitimately cant afford to see a private DR.

The NHS has waiting times, yes but it is still a completely valid healthcare resource that you can use.

Because most of the NHS stopped seeing patients, operations were put on hold, departments closed its doors, etc, etc...

Brilliant your mum got seen and treated, I know a cancer patient whose treatment was stopped.

You can get private medical care, but I think you'll struggle with anything pre-existing and it is hundreds normally monthly.

Bupa/Vitality. Worth looking into but have a serious think about what they offer and what you are spending.

Have you discussed your anxiety with your GP? That seems to be your most obvious current issue. You will struggle to find a policy that will give you full and free access to the amount of (very expensive ) services you desire. Insurance is a cut throat business.

A decent GP will help you to process all these worries and make any referrals they think appropriate.

There are health insurance brokers who will help you look for the best deal - a bit like compare the market but for health insurance!

@Fuckingshifty

That's how I feel so I want particularly cancer cover Incase in the future it's an issue

Insurance is for events you can't guarantee I don't know why my anxiety is being dissected? Which I am happy to admit to.

Also not sure what people mean by range of tests

So any suggestions eg vitatlity V bupa?

I'm not looking for pregnancy care

I'm looking for stuff like

Diabetes cancer or dementia etc

@thetrollfairy

I have been looking on assured futures to see but just wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions

Thanks for the constructive answers

I think using a broker would be your best bet as you can then discuss what it is you want cover for specifically and they can get you the best price.
If it’s anything like pet insurance, there will be caps on what you’ll be covered for.
I saw a private consultant for my pre existing health condition, which was expensive but worth it. I did find out though that the medication I needed isn’t covered by any health insurance so you aren’t guaranteed to have treatment covered for super expensive medications even if you have private medical insurance so this is worth thinking about if it is something you were hoping to get insurance for

I was just using them as an example. There are others available. I would definitely speak to a specialist provider. My understanding is the private medical insurance covers anything unless its preexisting but I expect if there is family history of something they may exclude.

Do you definitely mean private medical (so covers costs of ops/treatment/etc) or do you mean critical illness cover that pays a lump sum upon diagnosis?

Ive had to have a series of nerve blocks done on my back privately which have now cost over 20k with the medicine (pain relief) not included

I have spent 900 on a mole being removed

3000 on gynae scans, blood test smear and appointments. After I bled for more then 3 months with no reason (not post partum bleeding)

That's just in the last 3 years this December
It's a lot isn't it

I want cover for diagnostics and treatment

Most will cover cancer provided you haven't had it (I haven't)

Thanks all again I hope I'm not being rude

What @MatildaTheCat is saying is correct. There is something deeper going on here for OP. We can read your anxiety in this my love, I know it's easy to say "try not to worry too much" and I have totally been in your shoes anxiety wise. It isnt fun at all, I know. (I've had PND twice and the first time I had it I legit thought an asteroid would come crashing down to earth wiping us all out every day. (night-time was the worst time though so of course I didnt sleep, which in turn didnt help) not saying op has pnd either, just that you can tell how anxious she is just by reading her post.
I'm better now after my second child because I talk to various people (hcp and non hcp who've helped me see that somethings are just out of our control etc)

My point with my first post was basically - OP doesnt need to be wasting her money on private healthcare and insurance right NOW. If you are worried about your mole,
Get it seen. The nhs will get you seen and helped as soon as they can - which was quickly at least for my mum anyway, if you need it and if you still want a second opinion after the NHS it would then be your choice to use a private dr. Whether they do more or less would be up to your coverage I guess.

@Fuckingshifty maybe my mum getting diagnosed twice was lucky, i dont think it was luck though given the twice part

If theyre stopping treatments for cancer, could it be that they are triaging cases? My mums first facial cancer had a 92% survivor rate, her second facial cancer we havent been given odds for, because, well, its inoperable, and she was so sick the first time round, it isnt sounding good but she starts radiotherapy soon. Its terrifying but the NHS is still functioning very well for the majority of people. And doing its very best for the majority of people. They for the most part are cancelling outpatients because that makes the most sense right now.

Do you work in a sector where you could get Bupa, or similar, through your employer? I have a couple of friends who get it through work. One gets a hefty discount, the other has some free coverage.

Also, a director of a limited company puts his family's Bupa through the books. I'm not sure how much is tax deductible, but I think some of it is. You could look at that, if you happen to be self-employed.

Most health insurers don't cover preexisting conditions for personal policies.

You need to seriously look at what the private sector can actually offer. A lot of the time anyone with complex medical needs/ critical conditions will be sent back to the NHS. For example there aren't private ITU beds in most areas, ditto kidney dialysis - and cover for social care (eg if you developed dementia) is an entirely separate issue to medical care.

@cultkid I don't think you're being rude. I think you are anxious about the treatment you get on the NHS because of your past experience. Completely understandable, but not all NHS departments are like that although I do understand you wanting to go private.

@cultkid

I've had private medical and it really doesn't cover what you think it does. Yes you can get faster consultant appointment, if you need an elective op the waiting time will shorter but they don't tend to fund experimental treatments, often there's an annual cap on cover and many private hospitals are not equipped to deal with emergencies (brilliant for scheduled knee replacements though!)

I've also had private medical in the USA and it was terrible, you have to pay 10% of the bill which is a lot, my pregnancy consultations, scans and drug free delivery cost $25k! Two friends have lost their house following getting cancer because their co payment exceeded $200k.

I honestly think counselling for your anxiety might be a better use of funds

I understand your worries - the NHS is resource constrained & has to prioritise, and you can feel like you will get more elsewhere. But the reality is, the NHS is quite good at prioritising (there are some exceptions we don't need to go into here).

This means that usually stuff they really won't offer, it's because its rate of effectiveness really isn't great, or the effect it does produce is not that significant. A friends child has a physical disability. She's paid privately for some extra therapy that the NHS wont fund and even she has conceded that while one bit was worth it (there are lots of campaigns for the NHS to fund that bit and they are gaining momentum) the other ones were disappointing in terms of outcomes and it was clear why the NHS don't fund them.

You simply can't really get emergency/critical care privately in the UK because there's the NHS does it and does it well, theres not enough market for it.

Ps agreed that NHS is functioning atm. I had to get a dodgy mole checked. My GP wasnt too worried but it fit various criteria so he sent me straight to dermatology within a week, who agreed better to remove it, it was off 2 weeks later. No waits whatsoever.

Oh and a friend had cancer. It was v aggressive and sadly she didnt survive,but the NHS threw absolutely every treatment at it.