Advice on joining BUPA

Slinkie · 22 Mar 2010 at 11:27

Hi Folks,

I am thinking of joining BUPA to help me sort out some underlying medical issues I have that the NHS have failed to help me with due to conflicting information from different GPs, sending me for medical and hospital test that I never needed to have and having to wait 2 weeks to see a doctor. I want to give BUPA a go and as I get a discount through my work (35%) I thought I might see what help they can offer me.

I just wanted to know how the system works, does the money you pay every month cover the costs of all your medical tests etc or do you still have to end up spending more on top? Is the cost of my monthly subscription the most I will ever pay?

Also, is anyone here joined up to BUPA and if so what are your experiences.

Thanks

Wicksta · 22 Mar 2010 at 11:29

Will they cover this issue though if it was pre existing?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1071267

Mr Jack · 22 Mar 2010 at 12:31

Firstly, BUPA won't cover you for pre-existing conditions anyway

Secondly, they give worse medical care than the NHS (but in a nicer setting, faster and with prettier nurses) most of the time anyway.

Don't do it.

Wicksta · 22 Mar 2010 at 12:39

Mr Jack said:
Firstly, BUPA won't cover you for pre-existing conditions anyway

Secondly, they give worse medical care than the NHS (but in a nicer setting, faster and with prettier nurses) most of the time anyway.

Don't do it.

I certainly wouldn't go without private insurance again. I have a slight heart condition and the quality of care I have received from my cardiologist has been fantastic and much quicker than if I had gone via the NHS. He is one of the top cardiologists from the Royal Brompton hospital in London and it would have taken months to have seen him via the NHS and in fact I probably wouldn't even have been able to see him that way and would have been sent to some local cardiologist in Wexham Park Slough which is an utter cess pit.

J.B · 22 Mar 2010 at 12:42

I get private health care through work but none of us have had to use it yet. I really want to see what its like though and to know if it was worth having if I leave this job. Thats with PruHealth and not BUPA though.

Thinking about throwing my girlfriend down the stairs just to get an idea of the level of care.

AtreuS · 22 Mar 2010 at 12:50

My sister in law works for BUPA on the claims side so she will know for sure. Ill ask her when i see her next, should be fairly soon.

Wicksta · 22 Mar 2010 at 12:59

http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-life-cover/health-insurance/health-insurance-faq

Do you provide cover for pre-existing conditions?

If you’ve never had health insurance, we’ll need to base our decision on your past seven years’ medical history. So, if you have symptoms which you know could cause problems in the future, you’ll need to tell us straightaway. If you’re transferring an existing health insurance policy to Bupa, we’ll consider continuing your existing exclusions or treatment based on your claims history with your current insurer and the rules and benefits of your chosen Bupa scheme.

So basically unless you already have insurance then they won't cover pre existing conditions.

Firestar_3x · 22 Mar 2010 at 12:59

Mr Jack said:
Firstly, BUPA won't cover you for pre-existing conditions anyway

Secondly, they give worse medical care than the NHS (but in a nicer setting, faster and with prettier nurses) most of the time anyway.

Don't do it.

Evidence of this please i'd hate to think i was wasting my money on something worse than the NHS...........

LordSplodge · 22 Mar 2010 at 13:30

I've used the NHS for 35 years (give or take a few months) and they have been brilliant.

I couldn't really justify using private health care as 90% of my problems are due to pre existing medical conditons...

Jokester · 22 Mar 2010 at 13:36

You won't necessarily get a better standard of treatment from BUPA, but you will get it in a more timely fashion.

Mr Jack · 22 Mar 2010 at 13:43

Firestar_3x said:
Evidence of this please i'd hate to think i was wasting my money on something worse than the NHS...........

When I went to BUPA for treatment on my wrist I was fast-tracked for unneeded surgery that then left me without full strength in my wrist for two years, and a completely useless right hand for about a month. The NHS gave me physio that sorted it out completely in a couple of months.

I know of several other people who've had similar experiences. The NHS will tend to investigate the cheaper options first - which may sound like a bad thing, but isn't because cheaper treatments are usually also the ones with lower risk and less side effects - whereas the private fellas will pop you along for the expensive and profitable treatments their friends in practice offer.

Haircut · 22 Mar 2010 at 13:48

Wicksta said:
http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-life-cover/health-insurance/health-insurance-faq

So basically unless you already have insurance then they won't cover pre existing conditions.

The OP said he will be getting it through work though, which can work in a completely different way.

For a lot of corporate cover you will get insurance with medical history disregarded, and the premiums the company pay relate to the claims history of their members.
This is generally done for larger companies though, not sure what size the OP's company is.

To the OP, I would try and speak to the administrators of the company scheme.
They will be able to give you details of the cover provided (some company schemes like to have annual limits on things like the amount of out-patient cover you get) as well as the type of cover provided, whether it is fully underwritten or medical history disregarded.