Private Healthcare

crazyH

Seriously, why would anyone pay for private health care , when we have the best health care system in the world ? We are the envy of the world.

I doubt many on Gransnet would agree with you, as everyone in the UK seems to be complaining about the NHS.

I don't live in the UK, but what I hear and read about the NHS makes me believe that both the Danish, Dutch and German systems are greatly superior to the NHS these days.

You are definitely not the envy of the world now, I may add.

The only time I ever had private health insurance was when we lived abroad and there was no option. We paid I think it was called class 3 national insurance still in england to keep our contributions up even though we were not in the country and therefore did not use any NHS things. But I am totally against private health service on 2 levels. Firstly it is still a queue jumping system. The majority of the staff working in private practise were trained in the NHS and if there was no private system they would be contributing to the NHS queues (if they did not go abroad) The system is meant to provide treatment on the basis of most need, not who can afford to pay more. Secondly you also find that although the private operation is done in a private hospital there are lots of situation where if anything goes wrong or further treatment is needed they are then sent to the NHS hospital to deal with. Then we see how this government is already trying to go towards the dreadful american style of medical care. Lack of trained dentists and cutting the cost of what they are allowed to do , and putting up prescription prices are all ways this appalling government slyly cuts round the edges as much as it can . We need to keep an eye on what they are up to and not let them take away the much needed and deserved public health service. To stand by my principles I would not visit South Africa when apartheid was there even though I worked in an airline and could have got there cheaply. In the same way I would not support any private hospital or treatment.

We have had private health insurance for quite a while. It was part of my job perks and I continued it when I retired. But the cost increases every year and we are now considering stopping it. I would advise any younger person .. to start a separate savings account and put the equivalent of the monthly subscriptions in there instead…. Then if it wasn’t used for medical reasons… the money is still there!

I have private health care with my husbands work. I can honestly say, I don’t know where I’d be without it. I had a few years of bad health and operations, the nhs said take 3 months just to see a specialist. In that time I’d had two operations. If you can afford it get it. I don’t understand lots of people I know, saving money for kids when they die. Have money in house premiums bonds and savings, yet say can’t afford private health. We should not need to, just the NHS has been run into the ground … just get beat cover you can afford is my advice..

Check out Aviva. I've saved loads changing from previous company and it's virtually like for like. Not needed to use it yet though...

When I was working I had either 'Simply Health' cover or 'Benenden' through my employer. These are not full health insurance but benefits providing dental and optical care and other services which helped if the NHS failed you, enabling you to see a specialist more quickly. There are maximum claim levels depending on your level of cover.

I wondered how they could afford to cover people so cheaply and I understand it is because people often get it as a benefit from their employer they forget they have it, so don't always claim. Employers pay for it to reduce staff sick leave.

It is somewhat more affordable but at the moment I can't really afford to pay for it myself. Then again, getting free dental and optical may almost cover the costs. I need to look at it again I think. I'm assuming if I need something really serious I'll have to dip into savings. Since retiring I certainly don't see the dentist or the optician as often!

We didnt get those treatments free jocork but a percentage of the full cost. We had this fir a long time til I realised we only used it twice a year fir dentist and once every two or three years fir the optician. There was an issue once about dental payment which made me a bit cross so checked and found we were paying far far more in than we were claiming. It was much cheaper to just put the money aside, so we did.

My surgeon son-in-laws advice has always been to save up regularly, and only if necessary, to pay for private care. Monica seems to have a very good, simple system to take the stress out of this.

Falling into the trap this evil Government has set I see I won't be helping them dismantle the NHS

I've had Beneden for years the plus is that its cheap, about £11 a month. The minus is that the first time I enquired about using it for a minor issue they seems delighted to tell me no. I always thought that it would be better than nothing but looks like I'm hundreds of pounds out of pocket and have nothing to show!

Benenden

Quite a few people I know were able to have cataract surgery using Benenden

Used to be with AXA PPP but the premiums got ridiculous. So now, like Monica, we pay the same amount into our own health care kitty each month. Three years and its a tidy pot. We would always have expected to rely on the NHS for acute or critical problems anyway.

I have had Bupa’s ‘hospital care policy’ for about 18 years. It’s much cheaper than their full policy as it does not include outpatient Consultant appointments. It includes tests, so if during an initial Consultation the Consultant wants, scans, X-rays, bloods etc, they are all covered. Any procedure carried out (minor or major) is covered and there is £500 per annum for physiotherapy. Tests ordered by my GP with a report back to him, as opposed to a Consultant, are also fully covered.

The included cancer care is first class, includes all treatment, including outpatient care, even drugs that are not approved by NICE if there is evidence of their effectiveness and they’re recommended by an Oncologist. Likewise Cardiac and Stroke treatment. The price increases each year in line with their risk. As a 63-year-old none smoker, I pay £140 per month. This gives me real peace of mind.

Unfortunately, my husband, who I met 14-years ago, had developed diabetes before we looked at a price for him. It was much more expensive and due to pre-existing diabetes, it has the potential to rule out various claims for him as they could state they may be related to his condition. So he isn’t insured.

If I could afford it, I would definitely go private for dental work.

Daisymae

I've had Beneden for years the plus is that its cheap, about £11 a month. The minus is that the first time I enquired about using it for a minor issue they seems delighted to tell me no. I always thought that it would be better than nothing but looks like I'm hundreds of pounds out of pocket and have nothing to show!

This is the first time I've heard of this happening Daisymae. Very unfortunate. I can honestly say I've never been turned down. Even recently I had a little sore in my nose, nothing serious and my doctor said I should get it checked. No problem getting the fee from Benenden- a total waste in my opinion. Consultant said it was fine. But the point is Benenden paid it.

My husband, like many others, has gone private for dental care as there was no alternative. No local dentists are taking new NHS clients, except children. He is very happy with the advice and treatment received and says the dentist is “old school”.

I have been sent private from NHS for a much needed hysterectomy....waited 4 years !

Another one from Somerset!

I had both my cataracts done at Benenden 15 months ago . My eyes were so bad I couldn’t read the sight board , the NHS waiting time for surgery mainly due to covid restrictions was 15 months ! Told my optician I had private cover , he sent a letter to my doctor saying I needed cataract replacement and this was arranged via a phone call to Benenden. A first assessment was booked for 2 weeks and my left eye was done the same day , my right eye 4 weeks later .. excellent service and well looked after . We pay £11.90 each per month each.

crazyH

Seriously, why would anyone pay for private health care , when we have the best health care system in the world ? We are the envy of the world.

Think this is very 'tongue in cheek'.

When it was set up back in the forties, it probably the envy of the world and totally free at the point of service.

Tragically, over the past fourteen years, it has been deliberately and carefully run-down and most of it privatised. Over the next very few years it will cease to exist and there will be just some charity wards, etc for the poorest of us, with very many just not getting any treatment at all.

All of the private healthcare ads I've seen on TV clearly state that pre-existing medical issues cannot be treated if people sign up for their plans. Therefore, I don't think there's much point in starting a plan in our later years when medical issues are already 'in situ' and wouldn't be covered anyway.

Benenden isn't totak private health care, it's a plan, and previous conditions aren't excluded.

Niksmrs46 so pleased for you.

I’ve double checked on the Saga one I mentioned and even spoke to someone ( I know they’re there to big it up) but it’s all conditions covered as long as there’s been no visits to GP or hospital within 3 years for said conditions. In my case I’ve had problems with my knees and had cartilage removed from both and steroid injection in one. Nothing in over 3 years and I was assured I’d be covered if I needed a replacement