Beneden Healthcare Society

Zippy123

I have been a member of Benenden for some years but I am also a member of a scheme through work.

Benenden, in my opinion is good but it does not cover all events. It is a charity and should only be used as a back up to the NHS.

I keep it up for family members and in case I leave my job.

I would recommend it as my mother inlaw went to their hospital in Kent some time ago and was treated very well.

If you do not work in an organisation that is connected (civil service etc) then you have to pay yearly in advance.

celticchick

Re Beneden and Best Health:
first of all - you have to distinguish between the Benenden main scheme which operates as a back up and top-up to NHS provision for many, though not all, areas of health care. It is not the same as private insurance, as it is at its core a friendly society, not for profit outfit, but it is a very good scheme at under £6 per month,
( not £1. 10 - that is per week!) per person! You can also enrol e.g. family members ( think they have to be at same address ). It has helped us out with a number of things where the NHS wait was too long ( ie. longer than we were happy or able to wait) or there was no NHS provision in our area. You do have to be a member of this for 6 months before using most services, though there are some I think that are available instantly e.g. the very useful GP telephone advice service. They also have their own hospitals, but you can also be seen at other hospitals and clinics, as long as the consultant you are seeing holds an NHS post SOMEWHERE. For example I saw a Professor in London at his private clinic as he held an NHS post at Guys but my PCT would not refer me to see him at GUYS ( so much for the govts myth of total patient choice) as they did not have an 'agreement' with the Guys PCT for that speciality!

My partner has also just had £1600 worth of cardiac diagnostic tests ( angiogram) within 2 weeks of being told he needed it done instead of a 12 - 16 week wait on NHS. Day case at local private hospital next to DGH, but went over to DGH for the actual angiogram ( connecting corridor!) as that is where the equipment was. That was a huge relief as the anxiety of waiting and wondering if you are about to have a heart attack was not fun.

Do read carefully to see what it does and doesn't cover, so you know exactly what it does and doesn't do, and how it works - but at less than £6 a month it is amazing value and a number of people I know have found it invaluable too.

It is not open to everyone, it has been extended to e.g. include public sector workers not sure what else - but once you are in you are in even if you move job.

BY THE WAY - it is not 'insurance' as described above - so it is not as comprehensive as e.g. BUPA - but still worth a careful look as an alternative.

Then, there is BEST HEALTH - you can only join this if you are already a member of the main Benenden scheme, but it is separate and runs very like HSA, though in my opinion it is much better value and much more flexible, especially if you have the higher of the 2 rates of package ( app £35 per month). This does indeed cover dental care and optical and a range of other things, up to different levels depending on which rate of package you opt for.

I have to say I have found them absolutely excellent in every way and would not hesitate to recommend them.

celticchick

oh - and because we are pretty hard up and could not pay up front ( £1600) they arranged to pay it direct which was a huge help though they do prefer you to pay up front if you can.

Little_Davel

Beneden is great ! Been a member since early 80's - not used them yet but people who have think they are first class !

luxor4t

My OH joined through work several years ago but I was sceptical at the waste of money and almost persuaded him to cancel the subscription .

Thank God OH would not listen to me as Benenden came to the rescue when local NHS waiting lists meant enormous delays for 'urgent' surgery. Twice. Both times for me .

When OH needed surgery, he had had his consultation, treatment & final check up via the local Benenden hospital before his first NHS consultation appointment was even sent.

If the NHS is coping well, then Benenden will not get involved. It is absolutely worth every penny!

andyroberts1967

I've been in Benenden for seven years now, since joining the Civil Service, and I've nothing but praise to heap on them. My partner had some skin cancer on his head, and countless visits to the NHS hospital didn't solve anything, lots of incorrect diagnoses and treatment, which is when I realised we could get transferred to the BUPA specialist locally. This dermatologist diagnosed the problem in an instant, made a phone call and within a week he had his treatment started. Thank God for Benenden is what I say!

jodie_t

Please check their website thoroughly and download their pdf of T&C's... there's an awful lot of information about what they will or won't cover, I'm still trying to decide whether to carry on with them (we've been with them for years but never used them). But for instance it seems you are only entitled to one consultation and one follow up - thereafter you're back to NHS. Also they don't seem to cover cancer treatment, or heart operations or joint replacements - there's a LOT they don't cover, and what they do cover is all discretionary on their part, and very vague as to how they decide. You have to to be in pain or 'distress' before they will cover any costs - well who isn't in distress if they're ill? I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has been through their process as to what questions you were asked in order to prove 'distress'?? I'm surprised at the poster above who was seen at Guys since if you look at a map of their approved treatment centres they are all a very long way from London.

wozearly

jodie_t wrote: »

there's a LOT they don't cover, and what they do cover is all discretionary on their part, and very vague as to how they decide.

Its important to recognise that Benenden isn't private medical insurance, or a direct alternative to it in the normal sense. This is why Benenden charge around £5 per month rather than the £80+ per month you could see for PMI.

As I understand it, everyone's money goes into a central pot and Bendenden try to ration this out as effectively as possible when requests come in - because the pot is going to be fairly small when considering the number of members and the costs of private healthcare, almost everything is discretionary and the assumption is always that you'll try for treatment on the NHS but if there turn out to be serious problems, then they may be able to help you.

If you're after guarantees that you'd be able to have private treatment and know up-front what will and won't be covered, then PMI is a better bet.

However, Benenden always seems to get a wealth of positive feedback (this thread isn't unusual), which suggests they do quite a lot of good with what they have.

tcr_3

I'd been a member of Benenden (or LAMPS as we called it, way back) for over 20 yrs and never had to use them. But then I developed a condition which, whilst uncomfortable, wasn't serious ... but there was a huge waiting list to see someone on the NHS about it.

It was covered under Benenden. But they refused to settle directly with the medical practitioner involved. And I didn't have the money to shell out over £220 pounds for each lot of treatment, most civil servants in lowly administrative grades simply don't have that kind of money spare each month.

Ended up I left Benenden & just had to wait for my turn on the NHS. I was hugely disappointed.

themull1

My husband used Benenden, but the prescriptions for medicine are more expensive as its a private consultation, i think we paid twenty odd pounds for some cream.