Private medical insurance

Well, I would totally understand the temptation, for sure.

And yet- it is so worrying that the whole NHS debacle is not just due to Covid, but a deliberate and totally calculated attempt (and they are succeeding) to destroy the NHS- and create a desire, a need, to switch to Private Insurance - leaving those who cannot afford it, or those with pre-exisiting conditions that will be either excluded, or added at huge cost.
I have been castigated on another thread for saying this- but many top surgeons now work fully for private care (treating 1 instead of 4 or more, as it takes more time for consultations, and more investigations, tests, polite conversation, and more), and a huge proportion work for both NHS and the Private Sector- largely leaving the NHS work to Juniors, and spending much more time and effort on much more lucrative private work (still getting paid by NHS mind).

So it is very worrying. I could totally understand, as per education, that people could be tempted and go across to private insurance, or private schools - not as a true choice, but out of dire necessity- and unbearable pain, etc.

Bea65, the premiums will be sky high ….especially with your recent health setback…..
Our NHS is the envy of the world. I do agree that waiting lists for routine operations are quite long , but if there’s an acute situation, you are in the right country, in the right hands….

Kali2

Well, I would totally understand the temptation, for sure.

And yet- it is so worrying that the whole NHS debacle is not just due to Covid, but a deliberate and totally calculated attempt (and they are succeeding) to destroy the NHS- and create a desire, a need, to switch to Private Insurance - leaving those who cannot afford it, or those with pre-exisiting conditions that will be either excluded, or added at huge cost.
I have been castigated on another thread for saying this- but many top surgeons now work fully for private care (treating 1 instead of 4 or more, as it takes more time for consultations, and more investigations, tests, polite conversation, and more), and a huge proportion work for both NHS and the Private Sector- largely leaving the NHS work to Juniors, and spending much more time and effort on much more lucrative private work (still getting paid by NHS mind).

So it is very worrying. I could totally understand, as per education, that people could be tempted and go across to private insurance, or private schools - not as a true choice, but out of dire necessity- and unbearable pain, etc.

Yes am very worried as have been informed that it would likely be May 2022 before i could receive treatment and that in itself raises more concerns and anxiety levels..

Get a couple of quotes and look at them very carefully to see what is excluded and what the financial limitations are.

Obviously I don’t know your age or your recent health issues but you may find these push the premiums up to a high level. Remember private health care is a business and is there to make a profit.

Particularly check that your recent health issues and anything that may be related to them, however tenuously, are covered.

Most private health care has a top limit, stated in the policy, at which point the cover will cease. Most people don’t realise how expensive drugs and nursing care is, if it’s required for any length of time.

I think private health care works best for one-off (hopefully) situations, such as hip replacement. What it doesn’t work for, at all, is any kind of chronic illness, that requires extended expensive treatment.

Oh, just read your following post. I think it unlikely that private health insurance will cover you for an existing condition.

Probably cheaper to do pay as you go, instead of paying each month as not all the fee is covered and you pay the short fall, also depends on your age.
Hospital NHS consultants have the choice to do private work or just NHS, those that do private work have reduced hours in NHS (with reduced pay per thier contract)
Or some work full time in the private sector and not in the NHS.
A NHS Hospital consultant will do the private work in thier own time, absolutely rubbish that NHS work is done by Junior staff.
Also, all professionals clinical support can work both sectors NHS and Private all this is declared on their contracts and declared to the Tax office.
I did this for several years.

Kali2

Well, I would totally understand the temptation, for sure.

And yet- it is so worrying that the whole NHS debacle is not just due to Covid, but a deliberate and totally calculated attempt (and they are succeeding) to destroy the NHS- and create a desire, a need, to switch to Private Insurance - leaving those who cannot afford it, or those with pre-exisiting conditions that will be either excluded, or added at huge cost.
I have been castigated on another thread for saying this- but many top surgeons now work fully for private care (treating 1 instead of 4 or more, as it takes more time for consultations, and more investigations, tests, polite conversation, and more), and a huge proportion work for both NHS and the Private Sector- largely leaving the NHS work to Juniors, and spending much more time and effort on much more lucrative private work (still getting paid by NHS mind).

So it is very worrying. I could totally understand, as per education, that people could be tempted and go across to private insurance, or private schools - not as a true choice, but out of dire necessity- and unbearable pain, etc.

You do seem to have a irrational idea about private practice. If the Conservatives wanted to sell off the NHS it would surely have Benn done under Mrs Thatcher. Private practice has been part of the NHS since it’s inception in 1948. Labour also had a great deal of allowing private practice to replicate, and don’t tell me it was under Blair, it was still Labour, he also tied us into appallingly expensive contracts lasting many years. Having worked in the NHS and seen how PP, involving NHS patients to their hospitals, can reduce waiting lists. Consultants talk no differently to their PP, than to their NHS patients, unless in London of course. I like a country where people have choice, and are not told what they should or should not be doing. Don’t forget people who use private facilities pay twice, whether it’s or education, hospital treatment. I don’t believe their is a push towards privatisation. Compare though family in Germany are seen quicker, treatment quicker, through Government and Insurance based care. Although having the same problems with Social Care as we are.
www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/private-practice/working-in-private-practice/consultants-and-private-practice

Been, not Benn, although would have voted for him. Only reasonable Labour man I knew of.

My youngest daughter was diagnosed with an inflamed gallbladder with a huge gallstone. The GP told her there would be a wait of at least a year to see a consultant. Her company provide private health care so she decided to use that. She saw the consultant, had the scan to confirm the problem and given a date for the op all within 2 weeks from her initial appointment and her operation is in 5 weeks time. I can see why people opt for this if they can afford it.

The NHS will never be able to afford all the needs of the population from cradle to grave, no matter how much money you throw at it. Treatments have become much more expensive and the population is increasing dramatically.

We now pay for dental, opthalmology and some ENT treatments. Conditions like varicose veins, which can be painful and eventually lead to ulcers are no longer treated. Rationing and exceptions will increase more and more.

There is no easy answer. You can increase national insurance payments, but any extra will very quickly be mopped up as further treatments emerge.

My belief is that for those that can afford it, private treatment takes some of the pressure off the NHS for items like hip and knee replacements, and indeed for events such as Sarnia's daughter experienced. You will never get a private A and E or for long term conditions, they are not going to generate sufficient profit for private companies.

It will inevitably lead to those with the money getting quicker treatment, but that is true of life in general. More money leads to better housing, better education, and better health in general as a result. Even in communist societies the leaders obtain a vastly better quality of life to the rest of the population.

I can't afford private but we are with Benenden and they have been very good. I also pay it for my daughter . They pay for consultation and tests.
I think anyone who can afford to have private care should. The NHS is wonderful. ..when you access it. But the wait is often too long.

The fact that the NHS included private practice at its inception is because there wouldn't have been enough doctors to staff it if it hadn't.

There will be no doctors practicing now who were not trained by the NHS, so there is no need to 'buy them out' in the way there was at the start.

I think it is probably inevitable that people will have to pay into some sort of insurance before long, but where that will leave those of us who are getting on a bit, or who have existing conditions is anyone's guess. It is very frightening.

Systems in Germany and other European Health Insurance systems are very different to the ones emerging in UK. The main difference being that pre-existing conditions cannot be refused. It pays for a single room, larger TV, restaurant style menus, etc. which is fine, no problem with this.

Lincslass, irrational? How patronising.

If you have frequent problems watch out BUPA substantially raise your monthly premiums annually. I found AXA PPP better in that respect, although they were more choosy about which consultants could be picked, wanting you to go for the cheaper ones. Get yourself a tailored plan to suit your needs. How much pain are you in? Can you save up enough to get an initial consultation at least?

Do NHS consultants really leave the juniors to do their NHS work back at the ranch while they are gaily seeing private patients? If you look at their clinic times at the private hospitals they are mainly evenings after 5pm and Saturdays, even Sundays.

They see privates in addition to NHS work to pay for their posh cars, expensive holidays, big houses and so on.

I too think there will be some kind of insurance system before long, the NHS isn't sustainable otherwise.

Everyone needs to decide for themselves and you've been given lots of good advice here Bea65, I hope it helps you decide.

But anybody who tells you that anyone who can afford to pay for private health care should do just that, is misguided, I'm afraid. Paying for private health helps create a two-tier health service and doesn't just mean that more of the NHS is available for us paupers. (Or even those of us who are well off enough to choose the private system, but don't, and think its an abomination that needs to be got rid of right away.)

It makes my blood boil, as you may guess. Even Mrs Thatcher thought privatising the NHS was a step too far. Today's Tories will have her turning in her grave.

As posted on the other thread

"That’s the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things don’t work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital."

Noam Chomsky,

constant pain, and fear for our lives, multiply the effects.

Yes, even Thatcher knew it could not be done- and would require decades before it got so bad- people will be asking for it in despair, and pain, and fear.

Unfortunately you will not be covered for any pre existing conditions. I have private insurance but if I wished to change providers, my arthritis would not be covered.

Better than taking out expensive and wasteful health insurance. open a building society account or similar, mentally name it the Health Fund, and put in a lump of money every month. I would suggest £100 - £200 a month. It soon builds up. The money remains yours whether you need private health care or not and it can always be raided on a short term basis now and then when you have a bad onth.

Or, if you haven't got £100 - £200 to spend on something the government is meant to be providing for you anyway, cross your fingers and hope you don't get ill.

Its like The City and The City. Anyone ever read that? Two completely different societies existing in the same space, completely oblivious to each other.

I agree with posters who are saying the NHS is being run down. Be careful of private medical insurance, not only for pre existing conditions. It does not cover A and E, and private hospitals do not always have intensive care, so even if you have a routine operation but have breathing issues following anaesthetic you would need to be transferred to an NHS hospital. There have also been problems in getting compensation if the medical care is negligent.

What happens if someone who has breathing difficulties after a private op needs an NHS bed that is scheduled to be used by an NHS patient who has been waiting for an operation?

Apologies, I haven't read the whole thread, Bea65 but will a private health provider take you on for immediate treatment of an existing condition?

I've not had a problem getting existing conditions included, but obviously the premium is loaded to take into account the extra risk. We swap around from year to year to keep the costs down.

Consultants have always worked in the NHS and private practice as far back as I remember (and I worked for the NHS in the 1960s). There were private areas in NHS hospitals in those days too.
They may well work longer than their contracted hours with the NHS as they are not likely to walk out on a patient mid-consultation or mid-surgery.