Private Medical (Work) worth it?

leaskovski

leaskovski

leaskovski

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Ok, so it turns out our medical insurance at work has changed provider, and it looks like it isn't as good being that the premium appears to be larger and thus tax will be more for me and some of the benefits that the old medical provided through payouts if you didn't use your fund have gone as well.

Because of this I am seriously thinking of just not bothering with the schema and getting my tax back for something that I haven't used to date for the 5 years I have been paying.

What are most peoples perception of private medical schemes that companies offer to their employees? Is it worth taking the hit for something that you aren't likely to use and can get done by the NHS? Or do people see the NHS as such a failure these days that it is worth doing everything private (if your scheme covers it)?
 
I have private medical through work as part of my 'flexi uplift'. For me it's absolutely worth it. I do a lot of sports and picking up an injury through a sport and going through the NHS takes a lifetime.

I have my ACL replacement on Private which took 4 weeks from seeign the doctor to having it operated on. I had my cartilidge taken out through the NHS, which is so much lesser injury than ACL replacement and it took 9 months to get it oeprated on.
 
You can't afford to not have private healthcare these days, what with what's going on in the NHS at the moment. None of us are getting any younger, things start going wrong as you get old and being in constant pain is an utterly miserable existence so anything that gets you sorted sooner is worth it imo.

The NHS is being dismantled piece by piece, as this happens private healthcare costs in this country will rise dramatically so get used to it. It's just another attack on ordinary people through the cost of living.
 
I have private medical insurance, and although I'm currently reasonably fit and healthy and haven't needed to use it so far, if I got into an accident or was diagnosed with something serious, I'd feel much better knowing that I had private medical insurance. Whilst I'm sure that you can get most treatments free on the NHS, one of the biggest advantages of private medical treatment is that you can get seen and treated far quicker. You'd hopefully suffer less as a result.
 
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You'd be daft not to get it if you can what with the services being slashed and so undermined. Even if it is NHS only treatment you seek you can skip the wait to see the consultant and the test parts and jump straight onto the treatment queue.

It doesn't mean you will get better treatment - you often won't - but you will get a better environment and process and let's face it sometimes the removal of that stress actually can do a great deal of good.
 
Like magnolia said, it's insurance (and it seems like a giant scam until you actually need it). I haven't personally got it yet but planning too in the next year with work (I might just pay for it myself though).
Biggest thing for me is the speed and quality of care. I have nothing against the NHS and think they do a fantastic job, but if I need physio, I don't want to wait 3 months for an appointment!
 
Its always a bit of an annoyance because it feels like its just money going nowhere when you don't need to use it.

When you do though, the difference is night and day. Last time I was in a NHS hospital for an extended stay, it was pretty harrowing. They were so busy they couldn't even put me on the right ward, the food was absolutely dire microwave meals, it was difficult to sleep with the noise of other patients and nearly all the nurses were from Thailand and didn't speak particularly good english.

When I later moved into a private hospital for treatment, I had my own room with free amenities like TV, internet and air conditioning. The meals were freshly made food which was really good. I was treated by a Consultant, rather than whatever Doctor was available like at the NHS hospital. Finally the nursing staff were really good and showed genuine interest in how you were.

So thats why I continue to get insurance, even though I've not needed it lately.
 
My medical history can fit on the back of a stamp, however, I've got the option of medical insurance through work, and it's such a good benefit to have that for such a small amount of BIK I have to pay it seems daft not to be part of it. The cover is also pretty extensive (AXAPPP healthcare).

I'll probably never use it (apart from the healthchecks which are useful for a benchmark process.) and would cost several hundred quid to do normally!! :eek:
 
I get medical benefits at work and even if I don't get injured or require it in the near future (touch wood!), I see it as a leverage perk for if I move on to another company, it's a perk I can seek the new company to offer / better / give equivalent.
 
It depends on the scheme, I worked for a place once which covered private dental work, eyetests, private doctors visits, the whole shebang.

I now work for a company which does contributions to opticians via expenses, no dental, and the private healthcare insurance is only for is you fall properly ill (ie. hospitalised) to essentially avoid waiting lists and get you back to work asap.

I'm not fussed, it's not one of my job criteria, the NHS has done me proud every time I have used it.

I'd like dental again because I've got bad teeth despite being a stickler and looking after them all my life, brush multiple times a day, mouthwash etc. but the NHS is fine there too, it's not expensive.
 
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After watching the private healthcare my employer provides deal with my father in law when he had kidney cancer 2 years ago (he works for the same company) it is well worth it. The mental health difference alone between 7 days and 7 weeks for the required operation justifies it even without the better in and out patient experience.
 
Freefaller said:
My medical history can fit on the back of a stamp, however, I've got the option of medical insurance through work, and it's such a good benefit to have that for such a small amount of BIK I have to pay it seems daft not to be part of it. The cover is also pretty extensive (AXAPPP healthcare).

I'll probably never use it (apart from the healthchecks which are useful for a benchmark process.) and would cost several hundred quid to do normally!! :eek:
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Interesting you say them... as that is who we have switched to. Prior to that we were with the Pru where you had a fund that seemed to be basically used for medical check ups and the like, and if you didn't use it, you would get money back, or if you did, a reduced amount back. Plus there was also all sorts of scheme hook ups with cheaper gym membership, cheap eurostar tickets, etc, etc.

It just seems as though the new scheme (which for all intensive purposes) does give good cover, if not the same as the original scheme with regards to in/out patients, but at a greater cost to the employee (after employee kicks backs are taken away).
 
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I think all the company schemes can vary depending on the level and what is agreed with the supplier. Having come from nothing to something it definitely feels like something beneficial. I guess your company got a cheaper deal with the same level of cover which affects their bottom line less but impacts the employee More? For the cost of it though it works out to be a relatively good deal, and certainly cheaper than doing it privately.

Shame about the other benefits, fortunately I get more perks than I can shake a stick at, so I cannot really complain about some of the things you're a missing out on, but I also can understand your frustration and irritation at the situation.
 
I took out the works medical insurance years ago - in those days it was primarily for cancer related illness's- over time it branched out and now covers all thing medical - Even after I retired I keep it up (few hundred a year for wife and myself) and not needed it yet.

While at work I get myself a Hernia - In no time I was sent to a private hospital for op and it was brilliant - I have in my life had around 7 or 8 operations on NHS - nothing serious but needed doing.

I know which I prefer.

Dave
 
I have BUPA cover through work, but never used it as I'm rarely at the doctors.

Besides, I have literally no understanding of how to get it working for me, as the GPs at my surgery just regularly fob you off with disinterested excuses or thinly vieled assertions that you really ought to just stop being such a hypochrondriac even though you haven't been there for over three years.

The concerns I have at the moment are:

A) Skin problems, particularly the forehead, which appears to be cystic in nature. Was given the runaround by first GP ("Acne affects everyone, it isn't just for teenagers... funny how it's at the hairline, eh?"). Wouldn't listen to anything I had to say about my hair not usually being that long, not to mention the fact that I actually wash it regularly. Second GP prescribed some cream and gel which held the growths at bay if used, but if not then 'boom'. Now it's happening cream or no, so I need to go back for blood tests as possibly caused by gluten intolerance or hypothyroidism, apparently.

B) Large cyst in my back, nestled right next to my spinal cord. Had this since forever. Previous GP felt it, said it was likely just a fatty deposit and not to bother with it.

C) Various lumps in my body. Smaller one can be felt also in my back, a larger ropey one in my right arm next to the bicep, and at least three small hard lumps in my midriff. Again "They're probably just fatty deposits. Wouldn't worry about it."

These days I just don't bother going, tbh. Seems you need a referral from the GP to get the private stuff kicked into gear, but when they don't even want to begin a diagnostic process of any kind to start with, what chance to you have to avail of any service whatsoever?
 
i have bupa with work and was thinking of using it for a sore foot
i thought if you told the doctors they wouldn't care, just send you for referral and let the private decide whether to help you

i've never had to use it but i'm thinking i may as well try

is there any point 'saving' your private medical for bigger things that might happen, or does it not work like that. i mean are they going to say you came to us last year with something, or will it frowned upon kind of thing
 
Cruiser said:
i have bupa with work and was thinking of using it for a sore foot
i thought if you told the doctors they wouldn't care, just send you for referral and let the private decide whether to help you

i've never had to use it but i'm thinking i may as well try

is there any point 'saving' your private medical for bigger things that might happen, or does it not work like that. i mean are they going to say you came to us last year with something, or will it frowned upon kind of thing
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You probably need to check the terms of your cover. I believe my cover is based on clinical need (so my GP won't just refer me without being satisfied that I need referring) rather than a finite pot of money to spend, however your cover may well be different. One thing to look out for is if there's an excess - on my policy it's £100 per year, so if you have two treatments a year then you only pay the excess once. Musculo-skeletal problems don't attract an excess.
 
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