refunds from private health care during the lockdown period

J3Mie

We contribute monthly to a private health scheme (Westfield) but due to lockdown are unable to access any of the medical services they cover. So, we are still paying our monthly premium but the rolling programme of benefits are running out before we have chance to use them. Is there any way we can ask for the contributions to be paused? 

sharpe106

what have you actually missed out on? would you have used any of the services if you had not been in lockdown?

GHolmesAdmin

 Have you actually been unable to access something you needed?

Mrsn

As above... if you have genuinely needed to access the services but couldn’t because of the situation then perhaps (and that might be a stretch) you could have a discussion regarding this, but if it’s a case you’ve just been paying and not needed it thankfully then I think the argument would be weak because that to me is like every other month you’ve paid for it and not used it.

J3Mie

I Suppose the point is that most of the benefits such as optical and dental run on a two year cycle. Once the cut off date for the cycle is reached those benefits up to that date are lost when the new cycle of benefits begin. So, we would normally have used the dental and optical benefits accrued over this period. This has now lapsed due to the situation so in effect we lose out on those benefits. Once the opticians/dentists/Chiropractors etc  are open again we will be able to claim however the point I make is that there are several hundreds of pounds we would normally have claimed which are now lost even though we have been paying full contributions for the last three months.

sharpe106

If you would have used it then phone and talk them. 

dunstonh

Medical treatments are still ongoing.   Some things were put on hold but are now back underway again.

Is there any way we can ask for the contributions to be paused? 

And what if you suffer a condition that needs medical treatment whilst you are no longer covered?