Bad Experience with BUPA

Graye

I've had BUPA cover for years and just over a year ago changed my cover to LocalCare after being assured treatment would be in a private part of the local NHS hospital. On Easter Sunday I fell and broke my leg. I was taken to that same hospital by NHS ambuance and the leg was set. It was then decided I would need pins and plates, ie I went from an emergency patient to a clinical patient. I had assumed I would then be able to transfer into the private wing for this procedure. The followed the most farcical situation, firstly the person insisting I would need to transfer to a hospital 60 miles away, then that I COULD be treated where I was after all but needed to a) find the allocated surgeon and question his credentials and b) find out some magical code for the procedures. In the next call, once I had this information, I was told that only very specific problems could be treated privately in the hospital I was in (not including mine), also that the procedure numbers were all wrong anyway. By then I was actually on the trolley on the way to theatre. The next call explained that I could not even have physiotherapy as the surgery had been carried out by an NHS doctor.
A subsequent conversation etablished that I could have had the treatment there all along. We were never told the same thing twice, made to feel a nuisance for having a problem over Easter and generally poorly treated. I have subsequently cancelled my policy and after investigation BUPA have sent me £100 "compensation" and confirmed the whole situation was badly/wrongly handled.
I still feel annoyed and feel I have paid subscriptions under a mis-sold policy since I changed to LocalCare. I don't think £100 compensates me for the situation I was left in. They have offered to review the situation if I am not satisfied and also mentioned my right to approach the Fiancial Ombudsman.
Does anyone have any opinions as to whether I should pursue this or just write it off? Other than a six hour wait in A&E the NHS treatment was exemplary but I had deliberately paid a policy so that I would not find myself spending four nights on a ward with poor souls with Alzheimers wandering around, shouting all night and fouling the bathrooms on a constant basis, which is what I got.

lisyloo

Personally I would pursue it.
Follow the formal complaint procedure and then if you aren't satisfied then take it to the Ombudsman.
You don't need that sort of grief when you are not in position to deal with it.

Graye

Thanks for that opinion.

I must admit that as I typed out the story it made me see how awful their incompetence really was. I shall draft a letter and see what happens. One thing still concerns me, when the £100 cheque arrives does cashing it mean I accept this as settlement of the complaint?

shibboleth

Is anyone else having problems with renewing their BUPA membership? I get the impression BUPA have sub-contracted the renewal work to a third party as the call centre seem to be inefficient and poor at communication. I've had no less than 4 different renewal quotes for the same policy for this calendar year, ranging from £99.86 per month with £100 excess to £148.20 and, despite repeated requests, have only received one complete example in writing.

I've written to ask to pay the first quote, received in writing dated 29 November 2011 at £112.21 and no excess, as last year. Does anyone know if I can insist on this first quote, and if not whether I can take up the matter with the Financial Ombudsman?

Thanks in advance for any information!

Shibby