BUPA Health insurance - any waiting period?

borderline

Hi,
At work they offer BUPA health Insurance , I never signed up but now I'm considering it because my GP referred me to an specialist (urgent) and the hospital said it will take months for an appointment  

This month I have the chance to sign up to BUPA, will they take my GP's referral after I sign up or is there a waiting period until I can send my referral?
I don't know how these things works.. but I cannot wait for months for an NHS appointment 

Torry_Quine

They probably won't cover you for an existing condition.

lisyloo

borderline said:

Hi,
At work they offer BUPA health Insurance , I never signed up but now I'm considering it because my GP referred me to an specialist (urgent) and the hospital said it will take months for an appointment  

This month I have the chance to sign up to BUPA, will they take my GP's referral after I sign up or is there a waiting period until I can send my referral?
I don't know how these things works.. but I cannot wait for months for an NHS appointment 

It really depends.
ive been with a few large employers who’ve had gold plated schemes where medical history is disregarded.
most scheme would not cover you as it’s now an existing condition.

ask you HR department if medical history is disregarded or whether pre existing conditions are excluded.
or ask for details of the scheme and read them.

seeing a consultant is in the ball park of £250 so you could consider paying this yourself and then going back to the nhs once you have a diagnosis. You may week find that this bit has a long queue but that post diagnosis you get seen much more quickly as a lot of people who are ok will come out of the queue.
some people don’t insure and do it this way - pay for the tests and consultants (cheap bits) but not the surgery or treatment (expensive bits)

TELLIT01

When I had private medical cover through my employer pre-existing conditions were not excluded.  That may vary but you will need to check with your employer.

borderline

lisyloo said:

borderline said:

Hi,
At work they offer BUPA health Insurance , I never signed up but now I'm considering it because my GP referred me to an specialist (urgent) and the hospital said it will take months for an appointment  

This month I have the chance to sign up to BUPA, will they take my GP's referral after I sign up or is there a waiting period until I can send my referral?
I don't know how these things works.. but I cannot wait for months for an NHS appointment 

It really depends.
ive been with a few large employers who’ve had gold plated schemes where medical history is disregarded.
most scheme would not cover you as it’s now an existing condition.

ask you HR department if medical history is disregarded or whether pre existing conditions are excluded.
or ask for details of the scheme and read them.

seeing a consultant is in the ball park of £250 so you could consider paying this yourself and then going back to the nhs once you have a diagnosis. You may week find that this bit has a long queue but that post diagnosis you get seen much more quickly as a lot of people who are ok will come out of the queue.
some people don’t insure and do it this way - pay for the tests and consultants (cheap bits) but not the surgery or treatment (expensive bits)

But is it a pre existing condition when nothing has been diagnosed yet? Until I see an specialist I don't know what I have and if needs further treatment..  
I read the scheme , is very long but I couldn't find anything that says about pre-existing conditions, it's not very clear to be honest
I asked HR but they haven't replied to me yet

and yes, I was considering paying the private consultancy if I can't get it on BUPA. It's very stressing waiting on the NHS 

BoGoF

borderline said:

But is it a pre existing condition when nothing has been diagnosed yet? Until I see an specialist I don't know what I have and if needs further treatment..  

It can be, when taking out private insurance the Q's can be along the lines of have you been to your GP about X or any diagnosis/tests pending.

DullGreyGuy

borderline said:

lisyloo said:

borderline said:

Hi,
At work they offer BUPA health Insurance , I never signed up but now I'm considering it because my GP referred me to an specialist (urgent) and the hospital said it will take months for an appointment  

This month I have the chance to sign up to BUPA, will they take my GP's referral after I sign up or is there a waiting period until I can send my referral?
I don't know how these things works.. but I cannot wait for months for an NHS appointment 

It really depends.
ive been with a few large employers who’ve had gold plated schemes where medical history is disregarded.
most scheme would not cover you as it’s now an existing condition.

ask you HR department if medical history is disregarded or whether pre existing conditions are excluded.
or ask for details of the scheme and read them.

seeing a consultant is in the ball park of £250 so you could consider paying this yourself and then going back to the nhs once you have a diagnosis. You may week find that this bit has a long queue but that post diagnosis you get seen much more quickly as a lot of people who are ok will come out of the queue.
some people don’t insure and do it this way - pay for the tests and consultants (cheap bits) but not the surgery or treatment (expensive bits)

But is it a pre existing condition when nothing has been diagnosed yet? Until I see an specialist I don't know what I have and if needs further treatment..  
I read the scheme , is very long but I couldn't find anything that says about pre-existing conditions, it's not very clear to be honest
I asked HR but they haven't replied to me yet

and yes, I was considering paying the private consultancy if I can't get it on BUPA. It's very stressing waiting on the NHS 

Yes it's pre-existing... you don't get referred for a condition that doesn't exist, the fact you don't have a name for it or a confirmed diagnosis is irrelevant. 

Corporate medical insurance is very different to what consumers buy (in most cases the employer actually pays the claims via a fund they set up and the insurer just administers it). Pre-existing conditions can be blanket covered, excluded or reviewed on a case by case basis. 

What can be even more annoying is that it's the same Dr you see on BUPA. Had a PMI claim last year as there was a 5 month wait for NHS initial appointment, saw the consultant within a week, tests the next day, saw the consultant again a week later with a diagnosis and treatment plan. Was advised it's likely a chronic condition so don't cancel the NHS appointment as PMI doesn't cover long term care. NHS appointment was last week, saw the same doctor in the hospital across the road from the private hospital, most of it was her retyping her private practice notes into the NHS system.