The NHS offers excellent care for people in the UK, but, with more patients than ever now on the over worked NHS treatment waiting list, there is no better time to consider the option of taking out a Private Health Insurance policy.
Private Health Insurance – sometimes referred to as Private Medical Insurance – allows for the insured to receive private treatment and have some or all the medical bill covered. The cost of private treatment without a policy in place can prove to be very expensive, even unaffordable to many, which means many would not consider going private as an option. With patients facing extremely long waiting times due to a mass backlog post-COVID (The British Medical Association confirmed there to be 6.48 million people on the waiting list for care from NHS England as of April 2022 (BMA An NHS under pressure, 2022)), Private Healthcare offers a solution to this, and Private Health Insurance can help make this affordable to you.
What does it cover?
The level of cover you receive from your policy will depend on the insurance you choose. Generally speaking, there are three types of Private Health Insurance Cover: Basic, Mid-Range and Comprehensive with basic covering in-patient treatments and the more comprehensive cover extending to out-patient cover. The more comprehensive your cover gets, the higher the premium for the insurance. Many providers allow you to include additional covers such as mental health cover, cancer cover, diagnostics cover, dental cover etc.
What are the benefits?
- Shorter waiting period
- Specialist treatment and referrals
- Conditions not ranked on an urgency scale
- Access to immediate online appointments
- Peace of mind
What does it cost?
The cost of Private Health Insurance varies on who the policy covers and what level of cover is chosen. A full family can be covered on one plan, or it may just be an individual. An individual with comprehensive cover could pay around £40-£100 p/m and this cost could increase to around £100-£250 p/m when covering a full family. However, costs can be brought down with amendments to the cover received and including features such as an excess which is the amount you would pay if you were to claim before the policy would cover the rest.
Is it worth the cost?
This comes down to whether you feel the benefits offered are worth paying for and if the policy is affordable to you.
We feel there is no investment more valuable than you and your family’s health. As a nation, we are understandably reliant on the NHS but given the current state of affairs, this is not as dependable as we once thought. The NHS remains as an option, especially for urgent care, even when insured, but the way to ensure you receive the treatment you require, in a timely fashion and to give you and your family peace of mind, is by having a Private Health Insurance policy in place. Furthermore, by having your own plan in place, you can help alleviate the NHS waiting lists by not adding to those lists effectively, reducing the load on our hard pressed NHS and staff.
References
The British Medical Association is the trade union and professional body for doctors in the UK. 2022. An NHS under pressure. [online] Available at: <https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/an-nhs-under-pressure> [Accessed 13 July 2022].
