To want the UK to provide health plans like pet plans

[2018mumof2]

Hi I probably sound completely crackers however I have been thinking more and more since my partner got a job which includes private health care that doesn’t necessarily help with people’s health and that there must be better services to keep people’s health in check.. even if we have to pay for it.

I cannot speak for everyone as obviously every person has their own circumstances but me for instance I pay £20 per dog for a health plan which includes a 6 month review and a 12 month review, annual vaccinations etc.

I left the vets thinking today if properly managed and with the right pricing behind it why can’t there be a service like that for people? Why does it need to be something is wrong before we go to a GP, why can’t we just have a MOT type health check where your health is checked, it might warn people who fall unknowingly into obesity etc.

I would happily pay more than £20 for that kind of service for me and my family if it was available.. what do people think? I know it sound strange being compared to pets but AIBU or not?

Couldn't give any fucks about anything you've just said. Not even one.

Other countries do do this, I have Polish friends who go Back home for health checks.

Someone said private medical doesn’t cover previous conditions, that is incorrect. Monitorium cover does cover previous conditions once you have been free of symptoms/medicine/treatment for a period of time. For example you have a breast lump checked/biopsy in 2022, (within the last 5 years), no follow up needed. Take out PMI feb 2023 your lump issue is not covered until Feb 2025 (assuming no further issue until then). So you are better off taking cover as soon as possible. I understand people will have exclusions however it’s not as bad as people often think.

Certain life and income protection policies include annual blood tests, private gp services, second opinions, encourage fitness tracking plus treatment abroad for illness like cancer. Plus they pay out if you are sick.

I agree with a previous poster that the food we consume in the UK (upf) needs to change. But too much profit abd no doubt too many politicians with their fingers in the coffers of large ‘food’ (more like non food) manufacturers. But while the NHS are harping on about diet drinks and low fat products it’s not going to improve.

Does anyone remember the healthy start (I think that was the name) campaign? Yellow background with colourful people. It was for parents if young children in the early 2000’s. They would send you vouchers for money off Diet Pepsi/coke etc. I thought at the time it was odd that a health service was supporting giving your children crap food. I am guessing it was heavily funded by a few manufacturers.

Sorry it was change for life!

https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/change4life-enlists-unilever-pepsi-max-asda-healthy-living-smart-swap-campaign/1225714

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)60016-7/fulltext

Unilever, Pepsi enlisted to get the nation healthier - article from 2014 and 2010. Flora light instead of butter. Kellogg’s and Pepsi investing money (200 million according to the lancet).

Sorry op for derailing I just remembered this odd campaign.

It's really not a choice of NHS or US system. Most of Europe do this, and yes, we get regular checkups, no crazy bills and coverage for preexisting conditions. The NHS is just a bit shit.

Most private providers offer this and you just pay the balance monthly as a 0% APR agreement. I worked briefly for a provider who provided companies with annual health check ups for all of their staff. There are definitely benefits when you reach a certain age or if you have certain risk factors, but generally I'd save your pennies for if you have concerns and need an app.

Ironically that's the same amount of fucks they'll give about your list!

It's really not a choice of NHS or US system. Most of Europe do this, and yes, we get regular checkups, no crazy bills and coverage for preexisting conditions. The NHS is just a bit shit.

Yep, plenty of models around the world between the UK and the US that work very well.

I currently live in Japan and find the healthcare system here far superior to the UK.

Compulsory healthcare premiums come straight out of our payslip every month which covers 70% of our care. We pay the remaining 30% at point of use when we go to the doctors. Prices are incredibly strictly controlled by law and there is an encouragement to use generic drugs as well to keep overall costs low for all parties. This 30% is often very affordable as a result. The most I've ever spent was equivalent to £50 which covered the consultation, brain scans, MRIs, electrolysis, AND lung Xrays. Most things I've been seen for only cost the equivalent of £5-10. There are also further subsidies if your annual at point of use healthcare costs go above a certain amount or your overall household income falls under a certain amount.

We also have compulsory annual health checks organised through our employers. These cover everything from weight, internal fat, blood pressure, various cancer screenings, stress checks, liver checks, and blood checks. These are also free at the point of use to you, the patient, as they are covered by your place of work.

You also don't have to worry about scrummaging for an appointment at places as you just walk in to the clinic yourself and wait to be seen. I'm always out the door having been seen within 90 minutes.

Healthcare with insurance does not necessarily mean a US American style healthcare. There are other options that aren't the NHS in its current poor form or a system that bankrupts people. I would love for my fellow Brits to be privileged enough to have a healthcare system like the one we have here in Japan that actually works. It's the main thing I'd love to take back with me if I ever move back to the UK. Relying on the NHS again fills me with nothing but dread.

You can pay for this. It's called private health insurance.

There are many, many options between the UK and the US system. Most of Europe, really.
I've lived in 3 EU countries and the healthcare systems were a lot more comprehensive than in the UK. Annual MOT for everyone, women could see a gynaecologist for annual checkups (and then they would see the same person very regularly throught their pregnancy, if they got pregnant), community paediatricians for children (children would have regular checkups since birth)...
No one ever went bankrupt to access this, because the insurance would be covered by the state for anyone who is not employed, this includes SAHMs, children, retirees..

Interesting read, this is similar to the system in many EU countries. I don't understand why so many people think the only alternative to the NHS is the US system.
In case of a major overhaul, I'd expect the UK would want to copy the systems that work well, and not what I see as the single worst healthcare system in the world.

We also have our children checked by a paediatrician whenever we visit my husband's country. I also spent a few months there while I was pregnant during covid, and I had regular ultrasounds starting at 6 weeks. This gives extra reassurance and can discover issues such as ectopic pregnancies, rather than wait till things go wrong.

I think that a lot of Europe has pretty well functioning models that involve some kind of insurance. However I have very little confidence that we would go the way of Europe over the U.S.

Interesting read, this is similar to the system in many EU countries. I don't understand why so many people think the only alternative to the NHS is the US system. I agree and don't know why some people can't accept that the NHS is no longer fit for purpose (for either doctors and nurses) or patients. Society has moved on from the 1940s. The population is larger/people are living longer and we know how to treat a broader range of conditions.

I'm sure a middle ground system which doesn't leave the less well off without healthcare could be found, plenty of other countries have done it. I'm not a high earner by any means, but if I had an accident and broke a bone, I'd be willing to pay for the x-ray, if it meant I didn't need to spend a day waiting around in A&E. Obviously more long term conditions would still need an element of funding.

The six monthly vet check includes

• wormers
• annual shots
• quick visual check (including teeth)

I'm not sure that has any value for humans - don't need worming, campaign for those who need annual shots is well established, and humans don't need routine worming

Also, those vet checks are part of a separate vet club - it's not an insurance product. It's advance payment on the wormers/jabs (price is about the same as buying outside the club, but vets do it this way to lock in their customers to their practice and to have an element of predictable monthly income

I don't think it's a model that would transfer to the NHS

You absoluty can get this in the UK, it's called private health insurance! Like with travel and pet insurance you can choose the level of cover.

I have a group policy with AXA through work that I don't need to pay for.

We get a yearly full health screen (blood pressure, bood sugars, urine test, cholesteral, breast and pelvic exam etc... ) It also covers things like scans, physio, private GP etc.. I had a full scan and investigation for thicked breast tissue in my left breast on it (referred the same day) - all clear thankfully. I am currently having a course of physio for a spasming piriformis muscle.

If you have a job that offers it as part of your package I would definitely recommend.

I already pay for this service - it is called "Taxes"

Seriously - as soon as you start down the "the rich should pay for their own health care", you very very rapidly end up with "Who defines rich"? - and the degradation of the base service ("NHS") into just a paupers service.

Look at dentistry for an example of how this has changed since charges were introduced....

NHS dentistry has always had charges - it was never a free service.

What is happening now is a severe shortage on NHS dentists - lots of contracts were cancelled in the 00s (my practice which used to be hybrid had its NHS contract withdrawn in those reforms, so I moved the family as soon as I could to one of the surviving NHS practices). I don't know if any of the practices that were forced to become private-only by those reforms have ever been offered the chance to return to NHS contracts

Mr Monkey has had a private dental.plan directly with his dentist for years. It covers check ups, hygienist visits, basic fillings and money off other treatments. He pays something like £10 a month.

I prefer to wing it and pay for stuff as it comes up (I am lucky that my dentist does private and NHS treatments)

We use Bluecrest Health to have this done once a year. Not a monthly plan but you could just save a little each month

I was slim and healthy (running/swimming every day) my whole life until I developed an autoimmune neuromuscular junction disorder which meant my ability to exercise was very limited (particularly during the 5 years I was trying to get a diagnosis and being dismissed by doctors) and was then put.on steroids which made me balloon in size.

So no, it's not my fault.

Now I am weaning off the steroids and able to exercise again and losing weight, but I will never forget all the judgy looks I have had during this time

You are perfectly capable of measuring your own weight and blood pressure.

NHS screening looks for people who are most at risk.

So as well as a smear tests, because of my age I get breast and bowel screening.

29 year olds don't go for breast screening because they are at a low risk (unless you have certain genes) and breast tissue is too dense. Added to that you would be exposed to X-ray which you don't want more of than you have to have.

I think you can also get one off screenings and tests for stuff from organisations like Randox.

The difference between you and a pet is that you can notice that you have a lump, can’t hear well, have an itchy patch on your back and go to the doctor and communicate it whenever you need to. Pets can’t thus a vet will have a quick check in their ears, for fleas etc.
if you want a check up these are freely available in the private sector.

YABU. What about the people that can't afford to pay for it? You are proposing a 2 tiered system, one for the rich and one for the poor. It goes against equality.