Private health insurance

Monica About the only self-funding I can possibly afford is seeing a dental hygienist, which is the only medical treatment not covered by my HC2 certificate.

I've no idea how much we've paid in premiums over 40 years, but I'd never complain about not having had our money's worth. I'm just grateful we have scarcely had to use it, I'd rather be the one paying than the one receiving treatment, be that in either system.

DH was misdiagnosed at A & E and sent away, only to suffer a necrotic burst appendix. He had emergency surgery and after 24 hours was well enough to be transferred to the Nuffield for his care. The consultant who came round to taken his case immediately changed the antibiotics he had been prescribed for a far superior sort, in order to hasten the recovery, belt and braces. The ward nurse was wide eyed because the new drugs were several times more expensive than the others. That, and excellent food saw him quickly back to work too.

Growstuff it's not been my experience that seeing a consultant privately is a way of queue jumping, nor has it been the experience of several friends. Private work is done outside a consultant's NHS contract, if done in an NHS hospital the patient pays the NHS separately for using the facilities (I have recently done this) and the facility is used outside of normal NHS activity. My recent heart procedure was done by the NHS and I waited for nine months although I had seen my consultant three times over the last two years, no queue jumping but I really valued the time to sit quietly to discuss my options as it was a big decision for me. Interestingly, my consultant would not do the procedure privately because he couldn't guarantee it would work and he would have needed to use NHS facilities which would have been very expensive for me. I wish the NHS offered quicker treatment but to suggest that paying for a private consultation means you can queue jump is not correct, nor is it true that NHS consultants are using NHS paid time to see private patients.

foxie48 I have known a number of consultants during my life and they have all said that paying for private medical care most certainly is queue jumping.

The point is that if there were no private medical care, there would not be a market. Doctors might very well work outside their NHS contract, but that usually means they only have a part-time contract with the NHS. As there's a shortage of doctors, extras can't be appointed to fill the gaps.

Sorry, but your argument doesn't stack up. I'd rather listen to the actual people who do the work and know how the system works.

PS. I never claimed that consultants use NHS paid time to see private patients.

Not my experience, nor that of a member of the family who's a consultant surgeon nor dd who is an anaesthetist but willing to accept it can happen.

"Patients referred privately to an NHS consultant will join the NHS waiting list based on clinical need, similar to a standard NHS referral. While private providers can refer patients directly to NHS services if they meet eligibility criteria, they cannot bypass the standard NHS waiting list process. " AI generated response but if consultants are doing this they are breaking the rules and can be sanctioned.

growstuff

Monica About the only self-funding I can possibly afford is seeing a dental hygienist, which is the only medical treatment not covered by my HC2 certificate.

I wasn't talking about your situation I was just stating the facts of the actual situation. people are relying more and more on self funding and less and less on private health insurance.

growstuff

No LovesBach it doesn't work like that. There is a limited number of doctors, so NHS patients get pushed down the list. Private patients don't "release" appointments for NHS patients. They pay a premium to queue jump. Doctors can't see NHS patients if they're busy with their private patients.

I must admit I was feeling a bit smug when I had an MRI scan before my breast cancer op. I had been sitting in the waiting room with a private patient whose appointment was before mine. She was called in and then reappeared a few minutes later, very angry and swearing her head off. I was the called in early.

Apparently, her insurance company refused to pay for an MRI until she had had an ultrasound (which she hadn't had). I hadn't had an ultrasound either, but my NHS consultant said it was unnecessary and booked me directly for an MRI, which is much more expensive than an ultrasound. I'm sure she had one in the end, but she had to wait longer than I did and I expect somebody made more money out of her procedures.

That was exactly my point about the other side of the discussion. The consultant that I knew of wasn't working for the NHS from 4pm each day - he was seeing private patients. Clearly not helpful to an NHS waiting list. However, if three of his private patients returned to NHS care then surely the waiting list grows longer by three - or am I missing something?

Thank you so much, everyone, for your replies - after reading all of them we’re not going to take out private health insurance, but instead set up a savings account for medical treatment to dip into if needed.

Just to add to my previous post here, in late 2023 a routine dental check-up revealed discolouration inside one cheek. The dentist referred me to the NHS via the 2-week pathway which means you MUST be seen within 2 weeks. After 4 weeks I had heard nothing so contacted my dentist. He discovered that due to staff shortages the 2-week pathway could not be handled by the NHS locally and would now be at least 12 weeks. I invoked my private insurance and saw a consultant that week, had two lots of biopsies, and CT and MRI scans, plus a full report given to me. In the end I got my NHS appointment at 8 weeks but as I had already had the biopsies and scans this speeded things up a bit. I hadn't jumped any queues at all and saved the NHS the cost of the scans and biopsies, as well as some time.

The cancer was Stage 2 - who knows what it might have been with a 12-week wait for an initial appointment under the NHS. All that said, my NHS treatments was faultless in every way - of course I would say that as it seems to have been successful.

Yes, lovesbach you are missing something, the private patient that returns to the NHS with a battery of tests goes on the waiting list according to clinical need, just like any other NHS patient. The delay in NHS patients getting prompt tests frequently results in them needing more treatment which is more expensive and more time consuming whereas many private patients come off lists completely because they don't need treatment or need more minor treatment and get it done privately. In an Ideal world we'd all get treated quickly and efficiently but we don't live in that Ideal world.
My skin cancer would have probably needed a skin graft if I'd waited to have it done by NHS (9 months wait) and it would have been done by excision which is quicker and cheaper but runs the risk of it returning. Done privately I had it done in a week by Mohs, ie examinined by lab to ensure I was cancer free and didn't need a skin graft. I paid £3,045, £2,000 to consultant and 2 other staff, £1,045 to the NHS for the use of the facilities which were used in the evening outside normal NHS clinic and treatment time. I paid privately to wear a holter monitor for a week to get an accurate diagnosis of the arrhythmia that proved difficult to diagnose as it was intermittent. This meant I was able to get the treatment I needed ( after a very long wait) and come off a waiting list. I don't think anyone should be made to feel guilty about spending their own money on medical tests and treatment, I certainly don't think I have adversely affected any NHS patients, quite like opposite.

I had to seek private treatment to deal with a serious misdiagnosis by an NHS specialist.

I agree it's queue jumping but do you want to die while queueing, experience severe pain while queueing, have your illness become worse or untreatable while queueing, suffer loss of income while queueing or see the Royals getting treated while you queue?

DH had BUPA insurance when working and we carried it on in retirement so that his pre existing conditions were still covered. I have carried on with this but never used it myself. The fees have increased so much that I'm already paying for me the same amount we used to pay for a couple.
Have considered stopping it and putting away money but ,whatever others have said, if there's a need for a serious operation `I would have to save these fees for years before they covered the costs that are incurred. We have also always chosen the specialist we want and never had to make do with less experienced ones as mentioned above. The level of cover you choose determines which hospitals you can be treated in but this does not seem to apply for major procedures in which cases we were able to go to whichever hospital the consultant decide upon without any problems from BUPA.

I have health insurance and think it is very expensive - but continue because in case of something urgent and serious it will give me quicker care. But - hindsight is a wonderful thing - I wish I'd started a special savings account long ago and put my 'premiums' into it. Of course it takes time to build up if you do that and insurance is available to help you almost as soon as you join. Recently had a new hip using insurance - almost no waiting and good care. I feel the NHS needs to be better funded - but so does so much at the moment. Good luck whichever route you take.

My DIL had private health insurance from work and used it for kidney problems without much success, ending up in an NHS hospital a few times.
Eventually she was referred to the NHS Kidney Unit in a major London hospital and it transpired that much of the advice about diet that she had been given was completely wrong. When she changed her diet most of her problems disappeared, and whenever she has any problems now she can go straight in to see someone at the unit.
My son had similar problems when we used my husbands health insurance for him as a child, all they came up with was a generic (and useless) diagnosis of IBS. Later NHS investigations were far more successful.
I can see that private health insurance would be useful to sidestep long queues for joint replacement, but for virtually everything else (and particularly for cardiac problems) the NHS wins hands down.

Private Health Insurance is a bit of a cheek, because in many cases they use NHS Hospital and equipment which lengthens the waiting lists for others.

Teazel2

We have gone with Benenden Healthcare, not the same level of cover but does include private GP phone consultations, diagnostics and minor surgery procedures. Cost is £15 per month each. It supplements the NHS, but does not cover joint replacements or more major healthcare or on going treatment but we thought it good value for the cost imvolved.

My uncle had this, it does somewhat help to queue jump, in that access to GP and to diagnosis is faster, but then a bit of a strong word needed to get NHS treatment.

I paid privately for some dental treatment when I was told that there was a 5 year waiting list and then had to fight to get a NHS prescription when I attended A&E for something unrelated.

Perhaps it is queue jumping, but at least it means some one else in the queue can be seen quicker. We had private health care for years until it became prohibitively expensive, a bit scary at first without the safety net. But so far no complaints about our NHS. My DH received prompt and fabulous treatment for his prostrate cancer, although a few years ago now. I do just wish that NHS hospitals had the option of paying for a private room like they used to. I’m such a light sleeper I wouldn’t close my eyes on a ward. And I’m not great at sharing a bathroom either!

Luckygirl3

Teazel2

We have gone with Benenden Healthcare, not the same level of cover but does include private GP phone consultations, diagnostics and minor surgery procedures. Cost is £15 per month each. It supplements the NHS, but does not cover joint replacements or more major healthcare or on going treatment but we thought it good value for the cost imvolved.

I've looked this up. There are lots of exclusions. Have you found the GP consultations helpful? Or, without giving medical details, have any other services been available to you?
I have a very unhelpful GP surgery and am wondering if this aspect might be useful. If you use this service do you know if you have to travel to a Benenden centre for this?

We also have Benenden insurance and my husband had a double hernia operation there a couple of months ago. We were very impressed with the care, facilities and expertise of Benenden.
If you live within an hour of their imposing premises in Kent then you would be expected to go there, otherwise they pay for treatments in other hospitals
I also used the GP service when I couldn’t get an appointment with my own GP. I needed antibiotics and I therefore had to pay for a private prescription rather than an nhs one, which I was happy to do

Be very wary, anything you have ever consulted a health professional about prior to signing up may result in not being covered if it recurs or relates to something arisen no matter how long ago.

Earthmother9

Private Health Insurance is a bit of a cheek, because in many cases they use NHS Hospital and equipment which lengthens the waiting lists for others.

That is incorrect. Most people paying for private medecine are seen in specialist private hospital. Where NHS facilities are used by private patients, they pay an enhanced price for the use to the benefit of the NHS hospital providing the facility.

M0nica

Earthmother9

Private Health Insurance is a bit of a cheek, because in many cases they use NHS Hospital and equipment which lengthens the waiting lists for others.

That is incorrect. Most people paying for private medecine are seen in specialist private hospital. Where NHS facilities are used by private patients, they pay an enhanced price for the use to the benefit of the NHS hospital providing the facility.

Totally agree . I've already said this but clearly people don't read posts. My treatment for skin cancer was done in an NHS hospital and I paid the NHS separately for the use of the facilities, which took place outside the normal hours. My initial consultation was in a private hospital. All the staff involved were working outside of their contracted NHS hours and were paid by me.