Private medical care

Thomas.Claire · 2024-03-23T09:27:39+00:00

Hi, Has anyone taken out private medical care for their children? I'm considering taking out a plan but not sure who to go with or how it actually works? My daughter is under orthopaedic consultant and I would like to see someone private for this instead of being on the long NHS waiting list.

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Rocknrollstar · 23/03/2024 09:32

If she is already under a consultant this will count as a pre-existing condition and won’t be covered by private insurance. If you are tired of waiting list maybe it would be worthwhile paying to see a consultant privately just to get the diagnosis. Also, if it is a genetic or chronic condition , they won’t cover it.

Original poster

Thomas.Claire · 23/03/2024 09:36

Rocknrollstar · 23/03/2024 09:32

If she is already under a consultant this will count as a pre-existing condition and won’t be covered by private insurance. If you are tired of waiting list maybe it would be worthwhile paying to see a consultant privately just to get the diagnosis. Also, if it is a genetic or chronic condition , they won’t cover it.

Oh I didn't realise that?
I was more considering it as my friend added her daughter to her insurance policy after her daughter had seen a consultant through the NHS and was told it's an 8 month wait for a tonsillectomy on the NHS so she added her daughter to her health insurance and got it done within a month.
I thought I could maybe do this for my daughter but doesn't sound like I can?

OP posts:

AmandaHoldensLips · 23/03/2024 10:00

If you take out an adult policy or family policy and add her on, that might work. It depends if they ask you about pre-existing conditions which you will then have to declare.

Or you could just pay-as-you-go for her when you need to see a specialist.

One of my kids had recurring issues and was put on a very long wait list. I went to a private hospital and asked about getting treatment without insurance. They gave me a package price which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be, so that's an option too.

DPotter · 23/03/2024 10:32

It's unlikely you will find cover for your DD if you take out an individual policy. Some large companies who offer PMI will have negotiated policies which do cover pre-existing conditions so this can be confusing.

Parker231 · 23/03/2024 10:34

Rocknrollstar · 23/03/2024 09:32

If she is already under a consultant this will count as a pre-existing condition and won’t be covered by private insurance. If you are tired of waiting list maybe it would be worthwhile paying to see a consultant privately just to get the diagnosis. Also, if it is a genetic or chronic condition , they won’t cover it.

We have family cover private health insurance and it includes pre existing conditions - we don’t have any but the policy covers them anyway.

MaloneMeadow · 23/03/2024 12:45

They won’t cover anything relating to her pre-existing condition for a number of years (with DD’s Bupa there is a 5 year exclusion) but it is still certainly worth taking out a policy just for peace of mind and quick treatment/diagnostics should she develop anything else. On work policies pre-existing is often covered straight away but on a regular personal one this would be incredibly rare (+ expensive)

Superscientist · 23/03/2024 14:10

The tonsillectomy would have been slightly different as the preexisting would have been tonsillitis and it probably came under general illness rather than a condition. They might have found that treatment for the reoccurring infections might not have been covered

We have looked into private family cover for 2 adults and a child it would be about £2k a year but mine and my daughters conditions wouldn't be covered unless we had several years symptoms free. We have however paid out of pocket for a paediatrician appointment in was £200 and her nhs paediatrician agreed with their treatment plan so we only needed one appointment with the private dr.