Private medical insurance

Worth looking at German and French schemes

I don't know about the German scheme, but I have experienced the French system and it worked well for us.
At the time we were there, a doctor's appointment cost €23. All payment was partly refunded, 70% by the state and 30% by a top up insurance that you paid for. I believe we paid roughly €2000 a year for both of us.

People might say that's too expensive, but it was very good value when compared with the USA. It covered all health interventions including prescriptions.

I think most people would be prepared to pay that amount if it guaranteed first class care and short waiting times.

I think most people would be prepared to pay that amount if it guaranteed first class care and short waiting times.

What if you are a single parent with 3 kids who lives on minimum wage and can't afford €2000 a year?

I wonder how many people who voted for no tax rises, ie Tories, are now paying around £100 per month for private medicine? Totally your own choice of course, but if a lot of us paid an extra say £20 a month to the NHS rather than private health insurance perhaps the NHS would be better able to deal with everyone. I know it is a multi facteted problem, we are all living longer, eye wateringly expensive treatments and procedures are now available, premature babies survive, but if we want to keep it, we need to fight for it.

Having worked in Germany long time ago, employees each month paid a health tax/old age pension/unemployment and church tax.(if you wanted a particular denomination service or burial.). The amount you paid was clearly printed on your pay slip each month so you knew what amount was going where...you also had a choice of health providers and you could choose and transfer. Can't say enough about German wide healthcare and, GPs also were trained in another specialty e.g. varicose veins and so you could book appts with a GP who could perform this treatment in the surgery...also the Well Woman Check each year which was a routine and not an additional cost to employees.

Alegrias1

^I think most people would be prepared to pay that amount if it guaranteed first class care and short waiting times.^

What if you are a single parent with 3 kids who lives on minimum wage and can't afford €2000 a year?

Don’t know about the French system, possibly similar to Germany. There all have to have insurance, this will explain it better. wise.com/gb/blog/health-insurance-germany

Their health care system is a separate entity though, not in with general taxation, all the population have also to contribute to social care.

The problem for most of us on here is that insuring older people would cost a lot more than £2000 a year, so we would either have to find significantly more or be consigned to a second tier service like the uninsured if America.

That, or the government would make us sell our homes before or after death with a means test, giving us no choice in what to do with our money. Again, the rich will be fine, the poor will be catered for somehow and the ‘just about managing’ will be put back in our collective place.

Lincslass

Alegrias1

I think most people would be prepared to pay that amount if it guaranteed first class care and short waiting times.

What if you are a single parent with 3 kids who lives on minimum wage and can't afford €2000 a year?

Don’t know about the French system, possibly similar to Germany. There all have to have insurance, this will explain it better. wise.com/gb/blog/health-insurance-germany

Their health care system is a separate entity though, not in with general taxation, all the population have also to contribute to social care.

Thanks Lincslass

Its the throw away comments like everyone would happily pay €2,000 a year that get me. (I paraphrase) Lots of people don't have €2,000 a year to spend on anything, so just saying we should move to a system like that is unacceptable. It makes me think that there are many people who have no idea how disadvantaged people really live.

BTW, I used to live in France.

Not everyone paying PMI is well off. Say you are a self employed decorator who wants to get rapid treatment for any illness to get back to work. £60 per month would be well worth it to get back up your ladder as quickly as poss. You might even prefer to do this over having a sky sports subscription.

Isnt it all about priorities? Or peace of mind.

Wow.

The temerity of some people. Wanting Sky. Its a disgrace.

And these people wanting to feed their children, they just need to re-assess their priorities, that's all.

Had a very busy and amazing week-end- so just catching up now.

''Awful how people will make things up and how easily total falsehoods get spread and repeated.

But then thats politics isn’t it?''

Nothing made up, I can assure you. And nothing to do with 'politics' but 40 years of close-up observation.

We’re with Benenden and DH had his cataracts done at no cost to ourselves, bar monthly premium, he had been waiting 2 years for an NHS appointment with a consultant and was virtually unable to see when the operations were carried out.

And I truly can't blame you for doing so.

But it is time for people to realise that the system is currently designed to have this result.

Interestingly, we both saw doctors at the same time for ‘things’ on our faces that could have been malignant - we’d spent many years in very hot climates so it was entirely on the cards.

Witzend I was seen within 9 days by the NHS for a thing on my leg which the GP thought could be malignant.
It wasn't, but it was lucky that I was seen quickly as it was a vein which needed cauterising and it would have been dangerous had it erupted totally. They did it there and then.

I will say again - we do need to pay more for the NHS. I don't think many people would complain at a small, ring-fenced, increase in taxes for those who do pay tax.
And chase up tax evaders.

LadyGracie

We’re with Benenden and DH had his cataracts done at no cost to ourselves, bar monthly premium, he had been waiting 2 years for an NHS appointment with a consultant and was virtually unable to see when the operations were carried out.

We are too. I've been paying it for years, DH has benefited but not me as yet although I know it's there in case NHS waiting lists are long for some non-urgent treatments.

Kali2

And I truly can't blame you for doing so.

But it is time for people to realise that the system is currently designed to have this result.

This, this and this again.

Well said Kali2

Wow exactly A.
The painter won't be able to feed his kids if he is laid up for 20 weeks or more.
Sky was an example of other things to spend money on.

A painter is likely to have key man insurance if their business depends on them doing the work themselves.

Kali2's post above is spot on. People now think that we have to have PMI because the NHS is so underfunded and so stretched. That's the real problem.

The NHS has become a sacred cow I fear. There's nothing wrong with a rethink about it, how it's funded and run. It certainly shouldn't be profit making but it could be better managed. Worth looking at German and French schemes

I agree Aveline

Other countries seem to be able to run simultaneous schemes but to mention any kind of private insurance, another way of funding or restructuring here in the UK elicits shock as if we suggested euthanising Granny.

We don't want to go back to pre-1948 healthcare but healthcare has changed without recognition since those days.

I agree too.

I think the difference is between having a properly funded system, where as many people as possible get access to the healthcare they need, and a system which depends on the better off buying their way to better health.

If a properly funded system means more tax, or insurance schemes such as the French have, whatever, then that is the way to go. But a system that allows you to jump the queue, or get better care, just because you have a bit of money, isn't on.

The red mist comes down for me - you probably guessed that

If Kalis “observation” has given her proof that NHS doctors do private work in their contracted hours then that would be fraud, a criminal offence and cause for dismissal and prosecution.

A serious allegation.

So come on Kali. Name and shame. Let’s get the proceedings started.

Or maybe admit you just made it up?

^I think most people would be prepared to pay that amount if it guaranteed first class care and short waiting times.
You might even prefer to do this over having a sky sports subscription.^

Sometimes comments just leave me speechless. They almost make me laugh, almost.

I say again we are doing the only thing we can afford and going with Benenden.

Now if I was a member of a certain family I wouldn't have to worry at all because these poor folk who can't afford private health care would pay for mine!

I say again we are doing the only thing we can afford and going with Benenden.

Which anyone can join; it's not confined to the Civil Service and Post Office employees any more.
Other schemes are available which are similar, it's a kind of safety net scheme.

Those who are in those schemes also more than likely pay tax too to help fund the NHS.
So do those people who pay for full rivate medical insurance/care but do not use the NHS, therefore contributing towards the care of others.

Peasblossom, you have NOOO idea!

And the list would be too long... and I am not stupid either!

I don’t think I sad you were stupid.

Just if you have a long list of doctors who are doing private work in NHS hours, that should be reported. Don’t you think?

If it is dealt with, then more NHS patients will receive treatment.

So please tell me why would you have proof and not report it so that action can be taken.

Why not name a coup,e right here and now?

Or just be evasive because………?

The key contractual points for doctors working in the private sector are:

you must ensure that your private practice or fee-paying services do not result in a detrimental effect on NHS patients or services, nor diminish the public resources that are available for the NHS.

you are obliged to disclose any private practice commitments to your employer.

if you wish to undertake private practice, you must first offer your employer an additional programmed activity (PA) over and above your standard commitment. If you choose not to offer this additional PA, this would be one of the grounds for an employer deferring pay progression in a given year.