Private Medical Insurance
Discussion
I know this topic has come up a few times but looking at the search results on PH, their never seems to be a clear concise answer. I have decided to take out Private Medical Insurance for myself and my family. I don't really need a discussion on whether this is a good idea, a lot of the threads seems to deviate into should you, why would you type arguments but I've already decided that I need it.
Needless to say I used to get Private as a PAYE employee but now I run my own company I don't so I need to take out my own as I can't afford to wait 4 months to have a problem seen to and to be quite frank the NHS seems to be imploding fast (sorry NHS defenders it just is).
So bearing all that in mind can anyone make any recommendations on a decent Private Medical Insurance provider. I am after a decent level of cover but more importantly one that doesn't make the claims process like feel like pulling out your own teeth. Customer satisfaction is what I am after. I have tried googling but perhaps not surprisingly stats around this seem non-existent.
I am talking to a couple of brokers but am obviously worried about their commission based bias so any real world opinions from actual punters are most welcome.
Thanks
Needless to say I used to get Private as a PAYE employee but now I run my own company I don't so I need to take out my own as I can't afford to wait 4 months to have a problem seen to and to be quite frank the NHS seems to be imploding fast (sorry NHS defenders it just is).
So bearing all that in mind can anyone make any recommendations on a decent Private Medical Insurance provider. I am after a decent level of cover but more importantly one that doesn't make the claims process like feel like pulling out your own teeth. Customer satisfaction is what I am after. I have tried googling but perhaps not surprisingly stats around this seem non-existent.
I am talking to a couple of brokers but am obviously worried about their commission based bias so any real world opinions from actual punters are most welcome.
Thanks
Also consider the 'put money away in a tin until you need it' option.
Funnily enough, 'self-pay' at private hospitals costs a lot less than they charge insurance companies. They also offer finance packages.
Is the care in private hospitals any better? Having seen it from the other side - I work in the area of medical negligence claims - private hospitals are sued just as often as the NHS.
I also personally know of practitioners who are barred from working in the NHS due to misconduct, but yet they're still allowed to work in private hospitals.
Ponder that for a second.
The NHS has established protocols to work to. Anyone suspected of having cancer should be seen under the 'two-week rule', despite what PMI advertising would have you believe.
By 'going private', you'll get your own room with en-suite bog, etc, but I'm not convinced that care and standards are higher. You could well be seeing the same Consultant as you would under the NHS, just maybe a few weeks faster, and in plushier surroundings.
The stories of old ladies waiting ten years for a hip replacement are exactly that. My personal experience (others may differ) is that when the S hits the F, the NHS is pretty fleet of foot, moreover provides the Gold Standard of treatment.
Funnily enough, 'self-pay' at private hospitals costs a lot less than they charge insurance companies. They also offer finance packages.
Is the care in private hospitals any better? Having seen it from the other side - I work in the area of medical negligence claims - private hospitals are sued just as often as the NHS.
I also personally know of practitioners who are barred from working in the NHS due to misconduct, but yet they're still allowed to work in private hospitals.
Ponder that for a second.
The NHS has established protocols to work to. Anyone suspected of having cancer should be seen under the 'two-week rule', despite what PMI advertising would have you believe.
By 'going private', you'll get your own room with en-suite bog, etc, but I'm not convinced that care and standards are higher. You could well be seeing the same Consultant as you would under the NHS, just maybe a few weeks faster, and in plushier surroundings.
The stories of old ladies waiting ten years for a hip replacement are exactly that. My personal experience (others may differ) is that when the S hits the F, the NHS is pretty fleet of foot, moreover provides the Gold Standard of treatment.
I'm not after a posher room, what I am after is a quick turn around. I agree that for emergency or serious\long term illnesses the NHS still takes some beating but for the smaller things they are woefully inadequate due to over-subscription.
I've been on both side of the fence and used both private and NHS for minor stuff previously. I agree that once you get to hospital, the standard of service is almost identical, it's getting there in the first place that's the issue for me. Playing the will they\won't they refer me game with your GP becomes a non issue with private as do 3-4 month waiting lists (yes this has happened to me or my direct family on many an occasion so not anecdotal evidence)
I'm not expecting a "better" level of service, I just want to avoid the wait.
Anyway like I said I don't want to turn this into an NHS bashing thread. I've considered self pay\saving up but their is always the risk that you are tempted to use that money elsewhere. If pay for insurance, this can never happen. Thanks for the advice so far.
My initial thought was to go with BUPA but I have heard that they are becoming a pain to deal with lately, has anyone heard of Exeter Family Friendly and can use them or comment? They apparently did very well in a recent Which survey.
I've been on both side of the fence and used both private and NHS for minor stuff previously. I agree that once you get to hospital, the standard of service is almost identical, it's getting there in the first place that's the issue for me. Playing the will they\won't they refer me game with your GP becomes a non issue with private as do 3-4 month waiting lists (yes this has happened to me or my direct family on many an occasion so not anecdotal evidence)
I'm not expecting a "better" level of service, I just want to avoid the wait.
Anyway like I said I don't want to turn this into an NHS bashing thread. I've considered self pay\saving up but their is always the risk that you are tempted to use that money elsewhere. If pay for insurance, this can never happen. Thanks for the advice so far.
My initial thought was to go with BUPA but I have heard that they are becoming a pain to deal with lately, has anyone heard of Exeter Family Friendly and can use them or comment? They apparently did very well in a recent Which survey.
Having had top level bupa (top level in that it used to cover GPs and prescriptions among other things such as cash stipends for stays in nhs hospitals!) for as long as I've been alive, within the past 2-3 years they have gone downhill so badly it's not even funny, for example seeing a consultant for a diagnosis of something whereby he prescribes drugs, if you bed to go back to change the drugs due to a problem that in their eyes is ongoing care and or a long term problem and they will be loathed to cover it.
Mobile Chicane said:
Also consider the 'put money away in a tin until you need it' option.
Funnily enough, 'self-pay' at private hospitals costs a lot less than they charge insurance companies. They also offer finance packages.
Is the care in private hospitals any better? Having seen it from the other side - I work in the area of medical negligence claims - private hospitals are sued just as often as the NHS.
I also personally know of practitioners who are barred from working in the NHS due to misconduct, but yet they're still allowed to work in private hospitals.
Ponder that for a second.
The NHS has established protocols to work to. Anyone suspected of having cancer should be seen under the 'two-week rule', despite what PMI advertising would have you believe.
By 'going private', you'll get your own room with en-suite bog, etc, but I'm not convinced that care and standards are higher. You could well be seeing the same Consultant as you would under the NHS, just maybe a few weeks faster, and in plushier surroundings.
The stories of old ladies waiting ten years for a hip replacement are exactly that. My personal experience (others may differ) is that when the S hits the F, the NHS is pretty fleet of foot, moreover provides the Gold Standard of treatment.
This is good advice. I think I would consider this if I didn't have private healthcare through work. Funnily enough, 'self-pay' at private hospitals costs a lot less than they charge insurance companies. They also offer finance packages.
Is the care in private hospitals any better? Having seen it from the other side - I work in the area of medical negligence claims - private hospitals are sued just as often as the NHS.
I also personally know of practitioners who are barred from working in the NHS due to misconduct, but yet they're still allowed to work in private hospitals.
Ponder that for a second.
The NHS has established protocols to work to. Anyone suspected of having cancer should be seen under the 'two-week rule', despite what PMI advertising would have you believe.
By 'going private', you'll get your own room with en-suite bog, etc, but I'm not convinced that care and standards are higher. You could well be seeing the same Consultant as you would under the NHS, just maybe a few weeks faster, and in plushier surroundings.
The stories of old ladies waiting ten years for a hip replacement are exactly that. My personal experience (others may differ) is that when the S hits the F, the NHS is pretty fleet of foot, moreover provides the Gold Standard of treatment.
My experience of private healthcare was that it's great if whatever you want done is fairly routine, but if you find yourself in an emergency situation (e.g. post operation, something goes wrong) then you really want to be in a hospital where there are plenty of doctors who can treat you. If like me, your post appendoctomy blood poisoning kicked in at 1am when you were in a nice private hospital (your own room with TV etc) but no doctors until tmrw morning at 9am then you realise the difference.
Obviously I survived, but it made me appreciate the difference. By the way, this isn't a dig at the doctors - I think that they have to spend a certain amount of time at the NHS hospitals.
EdJ said:
This is good advice. I think I would consider this if I didn't have private healthcare through work.
My experience of private healthcare was that it's great if whatever you want done is fairly routine, but if you find yourself in an emergency situation (e.g. post operation, something goes wrong) then you really want to be in a hospital where there are plenty of doctors who can treat you. If like me, your post appendoctomy blood poisoning kicked in at 1am when you were in a nice private hospital (your own room with TV etc) but no doctors until tmrw morning at 9am then you realise the difference.
Obviously I survived, but it made me appreciate the difference. By the way, this isn't a dig at the doctors - I think that they have to spend a certain amount of time at the NHS hospitals.
Agreed which is why I see PMI as an addition to rather than a replacement for the NHS. If I was ever in an emergency situation, I'd heading straight for an NHS hospital. So anyone heard of or have experience of Exeter?My experience of private healthcare was that it's great if whatever you want done is fairly routine, but if you find yourself in an emergency situation (e.g. post operation, something goes wrong) then you really want to be in a hospital where there are plenty of doctors who can treat you. If like me, your post appendoctomy blood poisoning kicked in at 1am when you were in a nice private hospital (your own room with TV etc) but no doctors until tmrw morning at 9am then you realise the difference.
Obviously I survived, but it made me appreciate the difference. By the way, this isn't a dig at the doctors - I think that they have to spend a certain amount of time at the NHS hospitals.
Guvernator said:
EdJ said:
This is good advice. I think I would consider this if I didn't have private healthcare through work.
My experience of private healthcare was that it's great if whatever you want done is fairly routine, but if you find yourself in an emergency situation (e.g. post operation, something goes wrong) then you really want to be in a hospital where there are plenty of doctors who can treat you. If like me, your post appendoctomy blood poisoning kicked in at 1am when you were in a nice private hospital (your own room with TV etc) but no doctors until tmrw morning at 9am then you realise the difference.
Obviously I survived, but it made me appreciate the difference. By the way, this isn't a dig at the doctors - I think that they have to spend a certain amount of time at the NHS hospitals.
Agreed which is why I see PMI as an addition to rather than a replacement for the NHS. If I was ever in an emergency situation, I'd heading straight for an NHS hospital. So anyone heard of or have experience of Exeter?My experience of private healthcare was that it's great if whatever you want done is fairly routine, but if you find yourself in an emergency situation (e.g. post operation, something goes wrong) then you really want to be in a hospital where there are plenty of doctors who can treat you. If like me, your post appendoctomy blood poisoning kicked in at 1am when you were in a nice private hospital (your own room with TV etc) but no doctors until tmrw morning at 9am then you realise the difference.
Obviously I survived, but it made me appreciate the difference. By the way, this isn't a dig at the doctors - I think that they have to spend a certain amount of time at the NHS hospitals.
I am about to have spinal surgery (on Wednesday) using my company private medical insurance. I have chosen this route as the NHS waiting list for the procedure I need is at least twelve months - and to go on the waiting list for the surgery would have only followed diagnosis following MRI scans etc - and in my case, there was a 12 week wait for the MRI scan.
Once I was referred by my GP, I researched and selected the surgeon, and the private wheels kicked in.
Consultation with surgeon was three days after I made the call... MRI scan one week after initial consultation with surgeon, follow up consult to discuss MRI results one week after that - surgery date selected to suit my calendar (Wednesday this week - eek!)
Rough estimate for the whole procedure (I am led to believe) is approx £11k - so health insurance option (rather than private paid for personally) was a no-brainer.
In this case, private is absolutely a compliment to the NHS.... what would have been my place on the NHS waiting list can now be taken by someone with the same condition who cannot utilise a private option.
However, when I was diagnosed with the big C a few years ago (all good now!) forget private medical insurance... the NHS were absolutely faultless and so fast, I couldn't catch my breath.
Going private in those circumstances would have simply meant I could have all hour visiting, a TV and a private room. Whoopee. Was too ill to watch TV... there is only so much sympathy from visiting relatives I can take, and sometimes I prefer a bit of company from a few fellow patients rather than a private room!
Interesting comments about those working privately who are perhaps not allowed to work for NHS.
Fortunately in my case, my surgeon is an NHS specialist as well... just does two days private a week, so I don't have any worries there (obviously I have no idea about the ancillary staff - nurses, anaesthetist etc)
Mobile Chicane said:
Anyone suspected of having cancer should be seen under the 'two-week rule', despite what PMI advertising would have you believe.
.
And back in the real world..........
Should be seen ( if your lucky), doesn't equate to being treated.
There are also drugs available privately which just aren't on the NHS due to cost.
BUPA. For me they have been superb. Paid in for nearly 20 years and (as with any insurance) starting to think "is this a waste of money". Then, wham, suspected cancer. The initial tests/scans/biopsies arranged NEXT DAY with no quibbles through BUPA. Would have been 'within' 2 weeks (maybe) with NHS. The difference is massive when your desperately worried. And pleasant surroundings help a little when you're frightened (I was). Ok, now I'm going down a treatment path, the NHS are BRILLIANT and fast, and I believe I am getting the very best treatment but in those early weeks BUPA were ace. Once into the NHS, even then, there was one final soopa doopa scan that my NHS consultant wanted to try but wasn't available on the NHS. Got it in Harley St. via BUPA in 48 hours. Similarly there was the NHS way of doing a certain biopsy and a, more expensive, safer & more conclusive way that, again was only available privately which I got fast through BUPA.
So, for me PMI worked. Both in terms of speed, comfort and, in a couple of instances, 'better' procedures. A big vote for PMI (in my case BUPA) and a huge vote for NHS who are now treating me (with the knowledge that I still have PMI for any 'extras' etc.).
Sorry to ramble!
So, for me PMI worked. Both in terms of speed, comfort and, in a couple of instances, 'better' procedures. A big vote for PMI (in my case BUPA) and a huge vote for NHS who are now treating me (with the knowledge that I still have PMI for any 'extras' etc.).
Sorry to ramble!
I had AXA PPP with my last job and they were fine. Just need to take care in selecting and using specialists. We recently had an issue being directed by the hospital to a non-aaproved specialist and later found ourselves with a big bill. It was not AXA's problem but poor process in the private hospital. Determined complaining eventually led to the debt being written off. The worrying thing was that they had the OH's credit card details. Personally I never let the hospitals take my CC details when I go for an appointment approved by the insurer.
2222 said:
And back in the real world.........
Should be seen ( if your lucky), doesn't equate to being treated.
There are also drugs available privately which just aren't on the NHS due to cost.
In the case of most ofthe Drugs the frothers and Daily Mail readers think they should be having these drugs will draw out and prolong your demise to run up the bills just a little bit more ...Should be seen ( if your lucky), doesn't equate to being treated.
There are also drugs available privately which just aren't on the NHS due to cost.
the criticisms of Many Private hospitals have been posted before , out of hours medical cover in the majority of UK private hospitals = career dead end SHO equivalent and a telephone to ring 999 to send you to A+E in a Real NHS hospital ...
even the most tin pot of NHS DGHs has a Registrar level Anaesthetist with defined competencies in anaesthetics, emergnecy and intensive care medicine ( via the competencies in (ACCS or anaesthetic core training) in the building 24/7 supporting other resident doctors with 4 or more years post registration experience who support the more junior doctors as well as having consultants who are contractually obligated to be able to attend within ?45 minutes ... I know of a Consultant who lives and holds his NHS post in Yorkshire who has admission priveleges to a private hospital in Bucks!
2222 said:
But they don't offer and A & E service and don't claim to, so that's hardly relevant.
so no-one who has had a 'routine' procedure in a private hospital ever has any post procedure complications , or their body decides it's an opportune moment to have a CVA (stroke) , MI ( Myocardial Intarct = heart attack) or have a DVT or Pulmonary embolus ... ????that's why and that's why it's relevant ...
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