BUPA private healthcare

swingaloo

Never had private healthcare but just lately have started to wonder if its wise to look more into it as you get older.

Do you have it? Is it worth paying for? What are the pros and cons?

Just looking for opinions really. Thanks

DomRavioli

You would need to speak to a number of healthcare insurers - as there are so many different types of plan, provider etc.

Not really something a forum on money saving can really advise on, if you want private health care then do it, but sometimes it can be just as fast as an NHS referral, but a lot more expensive.

Most plans also don't cover any pre-existing condtions (that means if you have ever had the condition, and it is in your medical record, they don't cover it).

System

What I like about private healthcare is the ability to choose your consultant rather than taking pot luck at an NHS hospital, where you may not get to see a consultant anyway.

Also, the NHS will often want to try the cheaper, possibly less effective options first. Private healthcare means you get to see the consultant, and you have plenty of time to discuss things. This is often preferable to the more 'conveyor belt' NHS treatment, where they are trying to get through as many patients as they possibly can as quickly as they can.

My sister used to have Standard Life healthcare, which she said was quite good, but she got it through work. It is also good to look for places which allow self referral. (It's obviously of limited use having private healthcare cover and then having to wait for an NHS GP appointment in order to be able to access it!)

Nicki

I have real problem getting even an NHS GP appointment where I live, and so rely heavily on our private medical insurance which we get through work. There can still be a wait to get appointments with popular specialists but the longest has been about 6 weeks. Usually you can be seen by a consultant within a couple of weeks and expensive tests such as MRIs are done within days of seeing the consultant.

Our plans have always covered pre existing medical conditions but I think that's more expensive but the thing they don't cover is management of chronic conditions.

It really depends on your state of health in your later years and that's hard to predict. I've definitely got good value from having medical insurance and have had thousands of pounds worth of care over the last couple of years. My husband on the other hand, hasn't ever used it over 20 years.

Tygermoth

I am very pro NHS (lived and worked in countries where they don't have a health service) It a national jewel and should be treasured as such.

This being said the OH has private healthcare as a work benefit and wow, they are brilliant.

Just recently i had a wisdom tooth decide to grow out in a way that was pushing my other teeth. The pain was terrific. It felt like it was breaking my jaw and my eye was going to rupture from the pain.

Saw my NHS dentist - 10 to 14 weeks wait. Private, got me in on the friday.

Seen and treated a issue the NHS have skirted around for years (Kidney operation relating to a malformation) as the symptoms were 'just' repeated urine infections - cheaper to treat them than do the op. Seen by specialist, pre op screening and surgery done within three weeks of being seen.

I have a nasty bad back after a accident with an uninsured driver (who fled the scene) every year i use my physio allocation and its keeps my back in good order.

Its done as a salary sacrifice so though we pay £500 per annum for the service it is deducted before tax, so in effect costs 15 per month for both of us.

well worth the cost.

missbiggles1

If you can afford it, I'd go for it. If you can't afford full PHI, perhaps look at organisations like https://www.benenden.co.uk/ , https://www.hsf.co.uk/health-cash-plans/ and https://www.hsf.co.uk/health-cash-plans/ .

These offer an affordable alternative which gives you help towards specialists' charges, physiotherapy, dental and optical work to supplement the NHS.

indiepanda

swingaloo wrote: »

Never had private healthcare but just lately have started to wonder if its wise to look more into it as you get older.

Do you have it? Is it worth paying for? What are the pros and cons?

Just looking for opinions really. Thanks

I have private healthcare through work and I really value it, but I don't know if I will continue to fund it when I retire as the costs do escalate as you get older and personal policies tend to cost more than the same cover provided via your employer.

What you have to remember is it won't replace the NHS - there aren't private GP services covered by health insurance, nor private A&E and if you have a chronic condition it will only cover what they describe as acute flare ups not the ongoing management of the condition. Some policies also have caps on the amount you can claim - cheaper ones may have caps which would not cover the full cost of cancer treatment for example so you need to read the small print very carefully before purchasing. Also, any pre existing conditions are likely to get excluded from cover for at least a period of time depending on the underwriting method (some permanently exclude, some include if you go symptom and treatment free for a number of years after the policy starts)

However, the two ways in which I find it is much better than the NHS is in speed and access to treatment for things that won't kill you. I think the NHS reacts pretty quickly to things like cancer, but I have had CBT via my private health insurer after a period of stress and physio for a knee injury and I know from talking to others I would probably not have got those at all via the NHS. Mental health funding is rubbish in the NHS, and friends have had to self fund ongoing treatment for injuries because of the difficulties of getting referred to NHS physios. Longer term, things like cataracts, knee and hip replacements etc will all happen much quicker than on the NHS.

It's not really about quality of treatment if you get it - the same doctors often do private and NHS treatment. You will just get seen quicker privately, and if you need to stay in overnight then you will get a private room and better food etc.

If you are going to look at full cover policies, try BUPA, Aviva, AXA and Vitality. Between them they cover well over 80% of the private health insurance market. Vitality provide some interesting extras like discounts on gym memberships. They all have a variety of different products with different levels of cover and most include things like a six week option that you can take if you want to reduce costs, where if you can get treated in the NHS in six weeks the policy doesn't cover you.

peachyprice

It really depends where you live as to whether you would benefit.

We are very fortunate here, we're on the border of two NHS areas so get double the choice of NHS hospitals to choose from, around 7 locations in total, we also have access to a private hospital through our GP as an NHS patient.

Our GP also makes full use of the online booking process for referrals, which I understand not all GP's do.

Eariler this year my OH needed a shoulder operation, it was 6 weeks all in going from his first GP appointment, scans, consultant appointment, trying steroids and finally the op, this was all through the private hospital without paying a penny.

For us it's a no brainer, there's absolutely no need to pay for treatment, but I do realise we are very fortunate, others struggle just to get a GP appointment.

So what is the service in your area like OP?

System

indiepanda wrote: »

If you are going to look at full cover policies, try BUPA, Aviva, AXA and Vitality. Between them they cover well over 80% of the private health insurance market. Vitality provide some interesting extras like discounts on gym memberships. They all have a variety of different products with different levels of cover and most include things like a six week option that you can take if you want to reduce costs, where if you can get treated in the NHS in six weeks the policy doesn't cover you.

I think it would be a fantastic idea if Martin (or his successor?) were to write a section about private healthcare and how to go about getting it, what to look out for, etc on this website.

It's a minefield especially for somebody who is looking to get private healthcare on an individual basis and it's difficult to know where to start. A rough idea of how much you'd need to pay would also be helpful, though obviously it would differ from person to person. Are we talking £50 per month, or hundreds. And, importantly, what are the gotchas.

Mrs_pbradley936

We had it for decades but no longer have it because age makes it too expensive. I only had one thing paid for by them in over 40 years but my husband had several.

It all depends on whether you would value it. They do not cover emergencies or mental/emotional health. They are good for whatever the NHS has long waiting lists for. My husband had sinus surgery privately because there would have been a very long wait on the NHS if they ever decided to operate. The GP was giving him nasal sprays for years but a private visit to a consultant had him in hospital within a week for surgery. Ditto a cataract. We always see the GP first and sometimes there is a couple of months wait to even see a specialist on the NHS. No sooner do you say you have insurance or you may be willing to pay then you can be seen within a couple of days.

indiepanda

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

They do not cover ..... or mental/emotional health.

Actually some policies do cover mental health - will be more expensive, and there will probably be a cap on the level of costs you can claim and perhaps the cover will end if it becomes a long term condition like bipolar. However, I got a number of sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy through mine after a bout of stress at work and I am sure I wouldn't have got it through my GP as the wait lists for CBT (or any mental health treatment beyond pills) are known to be very long.