To ask if you have private health insurance?

[CherryValley5]

Do you have it? Would you get it?

Having just received DD’s (eye watering) PHI renewal it struck me that 10 years ago it would not have even entered my mind to insure a teenager, nowadays it would feel like borderline neglect if I cancelled her policy and instead made her sit on endless NHS waiting lists. I am insured too through work and would never take another job that didn’t offer it. Just sitting here in disbelief that something I would’ve called a luxury not too long ago now feels like an essential for quality of life. It’s so depressing!

The vast majority of those either paying for private health insurance (which is the topic of the thread) or private treatment, are not going into debt over it.

So in summary, yes you read that right, yes it’s a luxury.

Yep, it does. I would work on accepting that some people don’t agree with you.

There's nothing for me to accept - or otherwise. People can have their own opinions.
It's just the implication of you calling it a luxury, implying that the NHS is adequate, when it's not. A lot of people think like you, which is why there's no hope for it.
I'll be OK - but many others will not. God help them I guess.

Maybe **'s kid just had idk an itchy ear or something. Not really important.

Oh, and yeah – or she had a perforated eardrum and permanent hearing loss through 2yrs of permanent infection. You know, not important. Still a luxury to skip that queue when the 6,000 other children in the queue couldn’t.

My opinion of the NHS does not influence its success or failure – ludicrous. Neither does yours.

You’ll have to accept it, I’m afraid, because it exists.

Yes. Hugely expensive. I have no health conditions and have never claimed. DH is now over 70 and has had two surgical ops. It's now £600 per month.... I'm considering whether to continue or just save the money.

That makes it even worse! You're so frivolous, spending on such luxuries. You should have just let her wait in the queue

Everyone's opinion does - If they can be bothered to do something about it. That's our duty as citizens

Yes. It's expensive with Bupa but I wouldn't be without it for us two. I hope Labour will rebuild the NHS after the Tories ran it down but there's a mountain to climb. So Bupa remains essential for now.

Yes through work and pay for DH and kids at slightly reduced rate. Wouldn't be without it now. Only used it a bit including one operation that has rid me of some pain. I don't want to wait months in pain for an operation if I get injured.

Yeah, I guess. But I’m privileged enough to afford the luxury.

My family does do something about improving the NHS.

Please elaborate

In working for them.

@Ditsycamper It’s really easy. I can book an appointment within 10 mins usually. You just log onto the app and select next available which is never more than a few hours wait and they call you. I think there are different plans you can be on though. I have my plan through work and it’s amazing. One reason why I won’t leave my job.

I have Benenden cover. It is £15 a month for each. It's a good middle point between PHI and the NHS. I've used it loads.

Have you @GoogleWhacking ? How have you found it?

I've never used mine. I did contact them about the counselling service once and was referred. They offered me six counselling sessions with the first one two weeks and two days from referral.

I did the referral on the NHS website on the same day and they offered me six sessions with the first one two days later so I used the NHS instead.

I've used them quite a bit over the years for physio and MRI scans. Also used their GP which is fab. Well worth the money I'd say.

That used to be the case. Not anymore.
I have no idea where you're getting your information from but it's woefully inaccurate. And really insulting.

Yes and yes. I’ve had private health insurance for over a decade now. The family has it, which is reassuring. Private GP is so much more accessible

I wish. I always wondered why my dad didn't get it with his 'big important man job' seeing as his employer was an American oil company. This was in the 70s/80s
But I guess the NHS was not as fucked as it is now. It was almost a given I guess they'd look after us.

This! People these days are actually scared stiff of needing treatment on the NHS, so are going without things to ensure they can pay for adequate healthcare, should they need it.

Apparently just wanting to stay alive is now considered a 'luxury'... 🙄

The figure is 20% of people using private healthcare are going into debt for it, but that figure includes treatment payment plans with the facility, which are utilised by many people who fund it affordable anyway.

I didn’t say people weren’t going into debt for it. I didn’t say less or the same people weren’t going into debt over it. I said the majority weren’t, which is accurate.

You’ll just to feel insulted, I guess.

We used to have Benenden - it’s an absolutely fantastic scheme, especially for such a low cost. I used it for consultations and scans for DD when she was first diagnosed with her spinal condition. It was fabulous, absolutely no fuss. Such friendly and helpful call handlers. No pre-existing condition paperwork for the GP and no excess to pay. As long as you know the limitations of the scheme there really are no frills attached. If only ‘real’ insurance was like that!

If you work for the NHS and witness the daily chaos then how can you possibly deny that people may be forced to use private healthcare due to the current state of the system?

I know NHS consultants who now feel the need to pay for health insurance for themselves and their families as they no longer feel that care is timely or to the best standards. In my opinion that speaks volumes.