Are you still paying for private health insurance

[NurseImogenQuy]

I'm in a company scheme and payment is deducted from my salary monthly. I got my pay slip and there was no deduction this month so I emailed HR. They replied that as private hospitals have been taken over by the NHS they've cancelled the policy! They're going to start a new scheme when things are "back to normal". Has this happened to anyone else?

I'm a bit concerned because I need to speak to my GP on Monday and after consulting Google I think I will be referred to a consultant. Will the company's new scheme cover this?

I think almost all private hospitals are now for covid, so the only policy could be after they open up to regular patients.

Will the company's new scheme cover this?

Not on Monday it won't, no. The scheme isn't running yet.

Was insurance part of your employment contract? If so you company need to provide continuous coverage for the duration of your employment surely, particularly as it seems you were not notified it was being cancelled.

Not part of my contract, it's an option I can pay for.
Last time they switched insurance providers, the new insurers "honoured" treatments carried over from previous company.

Not sure I'm making sense! I was in the middle of a course of physiotherapy and the new insurers let me continue.

OP I'd check where you stand with the insurer. Preexisting conditions may not be covered under a new policy. Could you afford to pay the premiums yourself for now? If not, it's worth asking if they'll let you pay a reduced rate or let you have a temporary payment holiday. No idea if they'll say yes but you've nothing to lose by asking.

I also have private healthcare through my employer. Where I am (SE), consultants are not taking on private referrals at the moment. The private hospitals are taking Non Covid NHS cases like cardiac to free up beds in the NHS hospital.

You might be best to call the private hospital you’d usually be referred to and ask, they’d know if the consultants (who hire their facilities) are still accepting and dealing with new referrals.

We pay £270 a month for health insurance (not employees), and it’s still being deducted. I’ll look into this, thanks for the heads up

Last time they switched insurance providers, the new insurers "honoured" treatments carried over from previous company.

It's not a switch of companies though. It has ended and won't be renewed until a later date. There is no insurer to cover you just now.

We're still paying at my insistence. Dh said right at the start of this that we should cancel for a few months as the hospitals would be used for covid cases but I didn't want to as thought there must still be some limited provision. This is interesting reading, I'll have to look into it. I wonder if premiums may increase when trying to start a new policy if we opt out for now?

Yes I am. I have a private plan with Axa for me and the kids, it not much a month.

We aren’t registered with nhs gp, never have been. We’ve had two video consultations through axa since March ( non covid related).

We do have private insurance, but the only service they can offer at the moment is an online consult with a private GP. All private hospitals have been block booked by the NHS. I had surgery booked this month which was initially rescheduled for October, and last week was cancelled indefinitely.

There has been talk of refunding some premiums similar to Admiral have just done with car insurance. Other insurers might reduce renewal premiums instead.
The risk of cancelling is that on re-starring, pre existing conditions won't be covered, unless you have a medical history disregarded policy.

That's very interesting, but we do have history disregarded, which although we don't think we'll need, I'd prefer not to lose.

It is a lot of money, but compared to other things I'm still forking out for and not receiving (anyone cancelled their National Trust membership, come to think of it), I think it's one I'll keep going with.

Thanks for replies. I've read that the private hospitals are (like many NHS wards) standing empty because they're not needed. I'll give the insurance company a call on.Momday.

We're with AXA and still paying.

Yes, also AXA, also still paying.

I'm getting quite a lot of post reminding me about them, I'm sure they're worried.

I'll give the insurance company a call on.Momday.

I don't understand. You don't have an insurance company?

teqcar I'll call the insurance company I've been paying premiums to for the last 12 months and get clarification from them.

I know when we switched to them they disregarded existing conditions so hopefully whichever new scheme my employers choose will do the same.

'll call the insurance company I've been paying premiums to for the last 12 months and get clarification from them.

Ok. I don't want to sound like I'm having a go but they are unlikely to clarify what the next insurer will do. The policy with them is cancelled so they can't do anything for you under that.

know when we switched to them they disregarded existing conditions so hopefully whichever new scheme my employers choose will do the same

Your old insurer won't be able to tell you that though.

teqcar no but the existing company might be happy to let me continue a policy with them directly rather than through my employer.

Also be able to confirm the group policy is actually cancelled rather than HR giving out wrong info which they have form for

That’s terrible! The problem isn’t so much current treatment but what happens if you develop something in six months. If you are on a new policy it’s likely you won’t be covered. What about people with preexisting health conditions that will suddenly loose cover! This is appalling, I would be complaining to someone and calling up the insurer to beg for a reinstatement.

no but the existing company might be happy to let me continue a policy with them directly rather than through my employer.

Sorry I do t realise that what you were asking.

*didn't

My DP recently had a serious undiagnosed incident (potentially a stroke). He was taken into NHS hospital, observed and scanned for 3 days and told to go home and try to see a neurologist when COVID is all over as that hospital was now reserved for COVID cases only.

He’s with BUPA but was told all their local hospitals are now reserved for NHS COVID cases and his policy is essentially useless at the moment. We just have to hope that whatever happened doesn’t happen again and that his memory loss and muscle weakness isn’t permanent.

So basicaly even if you had cover, you wouldn’t be able to be seen so the company is probably right to save your money, however it may leave you in a tricky position in future if it’s then deemed a pre-existing condition.

Ah I see you’ve clarified while I was writing my massive post!
Yes, I’d give them a direct call and see what they say. Better to pay a couple of hundred quid and still be covered in the eventuality you need private treatment.