Private health insurance!

sczoo19 · 16-03-2011, 16:18

Hey all,
Just a quick question really...
Anyone got private health care?
its just I was contacted by Bupa the other day and they tried to make me pay £45 per month for the cover, sounds expensive but I suppose you can't put a price on your health.. is it worth it anyone used it?

Thanks

Scrubbs · 16-03-2011, 16:25

I pay a discounted rate ( the company I work for pays half) of £700 a year for me and my wife. I have used it twice, once for a henia op and once for my wife, worthwhile in my case as I would have lost a lot more by not getting back to work as it was all done in a week as opposed to waiting 3 months for the nhs. It is a long term thing, a lot of treatment doesn't become viable in the first 2 years.

sczoo19 · 16-03-2011, 16:27

Ok, thanks hmm I may ask my employer do they use them to see if theres a discount somewhere along the line aha!
Yeah I know what you mean with the NHS - im on the waiting list for councelling at the moment so on the sick until then, the doctor did say roughly 8 weeks and they should find a space for me then hopefully..

raging bull · 16-03-2011, 16:36

Some years ago I was diagnosed with health problems requiring a triple heart bypass.
The waiting list at the time was like 18months,when I mentioned to consultant I had insurance, ''like would you be available next week'' he said!
I told him I was due to go on a family holiday in 2weeks, ''well then the week after you come back then'', brilliant job done at my convenience.

sczoo19 · 16-03-2011, 16:44

Wow!
Thats alot quicker isn't it they do change there view points when moneys involved!!
The only thing though say you were omitted to hospital for some reason (with insurance)
would they pay everything? I'm guessing that it would be down to the plan itself but the plan I was quoted was all costs, just don't know if there quiet good with their words as I'm new to the whole health insurance!

Will21st · 16-03-2011, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by sczoo19

Ok, thanks hmm I may ask my employer do they use them to see if theres a discount somewhere along the line aha!
Yeah I know what you mean with the NHS - im on the waiting list for councelling at the moment so on the sick until then, the doctor did say roughly 8 weeks and they should find a space for me then hopefully..

NHS counselling waiting times are a joke.They told me I should wait 2 years for one of their counsellors to become available...

In the end I went private... guy charged £35 per session,but he was excellent and I have my life back!

raging bull · 17-03-2011, 04:04

My daughter required some surgery to her leg, but had to wait to see the consultant.
The waiting time was quoted as long as 18months on NHS!
Paid the consultant for a private consultation which enabled my daughter to get surgery quicker on the NHS.

**Damien** · 17-03-2011, 08:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by sczoo19

Hey all,
Just a quick question really...
Anyone got private health care?
its just I was contacted by Bupa the other day and they tried to make me pay £45 per month for the cover, sounds expensive but I suppose you can't put a price on your health.. is it worth it anyone used it?

Thanks

Bupa do 'levels' of insurance. Did they state which it is?

**Chris** · 17-03-2011, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by sczoo19

Wow!
Thats alot quicker isn't it they do change there view points when moneys involved!!

It's not about the consultant's point of view. He (or she) is paid to work a certain number of hours per week for the NHS. Any hours he has left over he is free to go and work for a private hospital if he wants.

The waiting time you were quoted was for an operation within the hours available at the NHS hospital. These can be long because there are a lot of people after those hours. But if you are prepared to pay, there are far fewer people trying to get the available hours at the private hospital.

There are other issues as well, like the efficiency of the NHS hospital (How well is it using its hours? How efficiently is it spending its budget? etc). But essentially, when a consultant you have just seen at an NHS hospital tells you he can operate on you much more quickly if you pay him privately (or get Bupa to pay him privately) it's because he has hours available at that private hospital, not because he's prepared to let you jump the NHS queue.

sczoo19 · 17-03-2011, 10:45

Oh right I understand, and answering the question to Damien - I have Bupa select 2 if that helps.

Hom3r · 17-03-2011, 11:06

One thing to note, if you have a specific medical condition, that may be excempt from the cover.

Scrubbs · 17-03-2011, 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

One thing to note, if you have a specific medical condition, that may be excempt from the cover.

I would say it's highly probable, in my expierience

Osem · 17-03-2011, 13:39

Private health care costs are spiralling - I recently cancelled our cover for that very reason and will save the £1500 pa to put towards private treatment should that be necessary. They're only heading one way IMHO so what may seem affordable this year may well not be next year.

Unless you're very unlucky, you might be better off putting £50 a month away to cover/contribute directly towards any private care you feel you need for issues for which the NHS cannot provide a reasonable service in your area. Something to bear very carefully in mind with private cover is the exclusions, excesses, limits and other condititions which apply to such schemes and frequently mean they're not as comprehensive as they might seem.

Ken W · 17-03-2011, 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by sczoo19

Hey all,
Just a quick question really...
Anyone got private health care?
its just I was contacted by Bupa the other day and they tried to make me pay £45 per month for the cover, sounds expensive but I suppose you can't put a price on your health.. is it worth it anyone used it?

Thanks

When told them I was 65 they quoted me £110, thats more than a weeks pension!.

ronnie_m · 17-03-2011, 16:56

I broke my ankle in December. All the ops and treatment were on the NHS as it was emergency treatment. My wife has private healthcare through her work and i used this for physio. The NHS one was useless and I went to someone that was a sports injury specialist and after just one session i could see the difference. £100 execess but worth it as i will need a few sessions before i can walk without crutches even.