Is it worth having private healthcare just now?

[ssd]

I dont even mean with having covid, I mean with everything else. The news is full of awful stories about people having operations and investigations cancelled.
Is it worth paying for healthcare if you can?

Luckily I have it through work for myself, DH & DS ,if I didn't I would definitely pay for it as others have said it's worth it's weight in gold.
We never use the NHS GP now and can easily get seen privately with a prescription within the hour...I wouldn't even get a call back from NHS GP the same day in normal times, god knows how long I'd have to wait now.
I'd be quite happy to never go to use the NHS again and pay extra for private.
FWIW private is not allowed to treat Covid or provide vaccines as they can't be seen to be jumping the queue

If you can afford £100 a month (family of 4) then yes, I think it's worth it!

My ffriend has just had a cataract op done privately as the NHS said it couldnt give her a date when it would be done. Consultant she saw said if she had left it any longer she wouldnt have got it done as the NHS were requisitioning the hospital . So I think if its something like a one off scenario it might not be possible at the moment

I have it through work I'd say it's an essential atm

Love private health insurance.

Not sure if we would pay out of our own pocket but it comes as a job perk (never take a job without it)

Just because you have private healthcare doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly get an operation. My DH still waiting for a private op because, as is right, private hospitals are being used by the NHS.

I'm in a very low paying job but I have health anxiety and having private healthcare would settle my mind enormously. The thought of needing to see a gp or needing tests and having to wait ages actually is my biggest fear. The thought I might get seen quicker or get test results quicker would be such an enormous relief and I think I could try to afford it.
Not sure where to try looking for prices. Benenden says they dont provide treatment before 6 months I think so dont want that..
Also dcs are adults so dont know if we'd need to pay for 4 adults rather than a family policy.

We have it through DHs work and kids are covered till they are 25.

We've used it quite a bit with DS recently, he's been in and out of hospital and although was in an NHS hospital he was admitted through private GP who phoned daily to chase things up and enquire about his care.

Private GOs are excellent at getting tests done quickly and prescribed medicines sorted which is a good send as our NHS doctor is appalling.

If you can afford it definitely go for it, especially if you have health anxiety.

It's definitely worth paying for healthcare if you can however it is being affected by Covid. DS has been waiting for an operation since October.

I didn't know you can get private GPs, I thought having private healthcare means you go to your normal nhs gp then if you need tests or further treatment you can get referred by your gp to a private hospital.

Though I've no experience at all, I dont know how it works at all.

Does having private healthcare mean you can use a private gp too?

@DumpTrump

It's definitely worth paying for healthcare if you can however it is being affected by Covid. DS has been waiting for an operation since October.

So nhs won't as covid service only and are requisitioned private hospitals so they cant either????

My mum was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer last summer

NHS had a wait of several months to see an oncologist and start treatment (probably longer than usual due to backlog from lockdown 1)

Luckily they have private and she got seen and started on treatment immediately and is doing well. With a delay of several months... I don’t know if she’d still be here.

I don’t know what private would have cost without insurance but it would have been £££ for multiple chemos and a huge operation

So based on this one case: yes it is

Ive currently got worrying symtoms and was referred urgently in October for a scan and to a consultant on NHS and im still waiting due to several cellations due to Covid outbreak in the hospital and lockdown.
My GP has had me bumped up the list twice.

I have savings but no private insurance. I phoned 2 private hospitals last week. The earliest I could see a consultant was 2 weeks time as they are on reduced clinics as helping out the NHS.
I then asked how long I would need to wait for a scan (assuming the consultant would refer me for the same initial investigation as GP already had) thats a 2 to 3 week wait currently as NHS use thier radiographers and equipment x days a week, causing a back log of private patients. I asked if this was because I'm self pay and not insured as was told no. It's the same for everyone, no katter how you're paying. It's just how things are due to the private sector helping out the NHS

I was quite shocked that despite paying ££ I will still potentially be 4 to 5 weeks before knowing whats wrong with me.

Private isn't offering the same service they were before Covid. The waits maybe shorter, but still weeks not days.

@ssd private GPs are everywhere. Where I am an appointment is £60 and you aren't rushed. Appointments are asking as needed. That isn't covered by insurance but if you need to be referred on it is (depending on your plan, obviously).

Anyone can use a private GP, regardless of of insurance.

They can refer you privately or to nhs if you wish.

*appointments are as long as needed

Health insurance is complicated and usually starts off relatively low, but each year it increases quite a lot. Some policies are cheaper and have a 6 week rule, in that you see the consultant and get tests done and then if it takes longer than 6 weeks to have treatment from the NHS, you can go private and get the treatment done sooner. The other things to consider is amount of outpatient fees you want covered, this can be £500, £1,000 or unlimited. Then there are policies that are similar to car insurance whereby if you don’t claim, you get your excess increased every year. I pay over £4,000 per year for myself, DH and my 2 adult sons. We are with AXA.

So worth it. We attended a first appt for ongoing symptoms recently - it lasted 30 minutes for a full check over, followed straight away by an X-ray, ultrasound and blood tests. We've also had follow-up emails and calls to check on things.

The appts and investigations done already come to around £2000 - we can only afford it due to having the insurance through work.

@DumpedWife

Ive currently got worrying symtoms and was referred urgently in October for a scan and to a consultant on NHS and im still waiting due to several cellations due to Covid outbreak in the hospital and lockdown. My GP has had me bumped up the list twice.

I have savings but no private insurance. I phoned 2 private hospitals last week. The earliest I could see a consultant was 2 weeks time as they are on reduced clinics as helping out the NHS.
I then asked how long I would need to wait for a scan (assuming the consultant would refer me for the same initial investigation as GP already had) thats a 2 to 3 week wait currently as NHS use thier radiographers and equipment x days a week, causing a back log of private patients. I asked if this was because I'm self pay and not insured as was told no. It's the same for everyone, no katter how you're paying. It's just how things are due to the private sector helping out the NHS

I was quite shocked that despite paying ££ I will still potentially be 4 to 5 weeks before knowing whats wrong with me.

Private isn't offering the same service they were before Covid. The waits maybe shorter, but still weeks not days.

If the nhs wont as covid service now but it's also commandeering private hospitals what are we meant to do?

did join beneden health but found it never covered anything i wanted - it used to be good but not now - people are cancelling all the time.

paying for private health care - had to because the nhs is taking so long between appointments - anyone else had this.

lh

It’s always worth it.

It saved my life.

@VortexofBloggery

It's a good idea, if you can afford it, to take out health insurance while you're fit and well, because it usually doesn't cover "pre existing conditions".

This.

Luckily, I’ve had my policy since I was 20, my children on it from birth. When my eldest was 18 and started work, we signed him up to his own.

Locally nhs waits are through the roof but they have bought so much private capacity that private waits are months to years for many things also.

Self payers bring better profit margins and pay upfront so tend to go front of the (still lengthy) que, beneden, vitality, and bupa are reputedly a nightmare to deal with, pay very low rates and pay after being chased months down the line so go back of the que, Axa and various others are easier to deal with and get some preference but at present the system is overwhelmed with self payers.