Private healthcare

The healthcare plan has gone again this year to 86 pounds a month... I only have to pay for the tax on it.

I guess I'm kinda luckly, I live in the middle of no where and due to the new government rules about GPs, I don't have an issue seeing a GP as they send me to the BUPA one down the road if they are too busy.

I was in and out of hospital, GPs and clincs a lot last year, I got this massive pain roughly around the same time last year and called for an ambulance. The pain went away before the ambulance came so it got cancelled but after speaking to 112 they booked me in to a walk in clinic, then the GPs.

Turns out that it may have been kidney stones so they sent me for a scan and a load of blood test and discovered a cyst on my kidneys.

Then they sent me for another scan a few weeks later and said my kidneys are ok.... It turns out that 50% of adults over 30 get cysts on their kidneys, 75% once you get to 45 years old. They just happen to scan me at the same time that I had one that was larger than normal but it went away after the second scan, and the all clear letter came the day after boxing day. I've really cut down on the alcohol now just in case not that I've been a heavy drinker since my mid 30s.

All this was done on the NHS, the lads at work was saying "just call the private healthcare company, you're paying for it"... but one of the lads at work is having a load of tests and it seems to be taking just as long as mine with the private healthcare. I guess it's just a postcode lotto.
 
I'll definitely be applying to the works one this year. Had nothing but wait after wait with the NHS. Had an issue that I raised last March, took until sep to get an MRI, then nov to get the results. Been on the waiting list now to see a consultant, so about a year in total and counting. Would have been done in a month using PMI.
 
Whilst I've had a pretty good experience with the NHS for low level issues (dental and small op), plus I work in the NHS - me entering my 40s and friends and family having far worse experiences.....I bit the bullet and got a policy last year. At the prices the OP is paying, I would jump at that!
 
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Private health care is probably one of the most worthy things to spend money on. I'm getting older and remembering listening to all the advice you got in your 20s and 30s, health is probably one of the most important things you can have.

I didn't listen:p
 
PS - Vitality seem decent so far. They have perks like free Prime, cash back, I get a free Itsu every month with steps, free cinema tickets here and there, significant discounts for the likes of Garmin and health checks.

Their app isn't great though but I can live with that.
 
Currently with Medicash for both me and the OH, which is through work and costs me next to nothing each month.
 
I get it through work and it's something £6 month for the tax. But they went cheap. I used it once and it wasn't great, phoned the private, 24/7 GP service and it was some call center India.

Might be good for something major but small issues, but I got an appointment quicker and easier (I could understand what they were saying) just phoning my regular GP.
 
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Anyone have any experience or are a member of HSF Health plan? We have been given their various options at work and debating what level of cover to opt for.

www.hsf.co.uk

Family Health Plans - HSF UK

Our Family Health Plans cover a range of health categories and allow you to share the benefits with the whole family. Contact us today for more information.
www.hsf.co.uk www.hsf.co.uk

I can get the Scheme PA one to cover myself and my wife for £31 a month.
 
cyber69 said:
Anyone have any experience or are a member of HSF Health plan? We have been given their various options at work and debating what level of cover to opt for.

www.hsf.co.uk

Family Health Plans - HSF UK

Our Family Health Plans cover a range of health categories and allow you to share the benefits with the whole family. Contact us today for more information.
www.hsf.co.uk www.hsf.co.uk

I can get the Scheme PA one to cover myself and my wife for £31 a month.
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We have the option of a similar plan at work alongside our proper private medical cover.

I did the sums a while ago and unless I was maxing out everything I could claim back for every month the sums didn't really sum.
 
tom_e said:
We have the option of a similar plan at work alongside our proper private medical cover.

I did the sums a while ago and unless I was maxing out everything I could claim back for every month the sums didn't really sum.
Click to expand...

The company I work for don’t have any healthcare provision other than this HSF plan.
 
Richard - London said:
You guys covered by a work plan, what are you paying? its costing me about 5500 of my year tax allowance here for me and my partner with AXA
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I'm with AXA and it's gone over 1k for just me I think. It was about 600 when I started in 2019, and has increased steadily each year. That's the taxable benefit i.e. I just pay the tax on that. I'm 37.
 
Lets not forget - private healthcare is just betting - they reckon you won't get ill, you bet on the fact you will. If they are right, they make profit, if you're right you benefit from the private healthcare they provide.

The scary bit is that their motivation is to deny your claims and charge more than the risk.

In-patient care with private care, they want you out ASAP as it save money. NHS want you out when a non-financially motivated doctor discharges you. Oh and lets not forget the stories of patients that needed ICU when in a private hospital that doesn't have one.

If every £ that people spent on private medical insurance went to the NHS, there wouldn't be a need for private healthcare.

NHS spending in 22/23 was £180 billion (gov.uk). Private healthcare spending both insured and self-pay was £46 billion (statista.com). Imagine what the NHS could do with a budget increased by £46 billion per year - that's a 25% increase.

Private healthcare is wrong - the fact it is needed represents a total failure in public health policy.

Full disclosure - yes I have used private healthcare - I had an inguinal hernia back between Covid lockdowns. The choice was waiting 18 months with NHS or self-pay £2500 and get it fixed in 6 weeks. Sure Covid made the situation worse, but I was lucky to be able to pay.
 
Brutal biff said:
I've been offered pmi at work will cost me an extra 600 a year in tax need to let them know by end of the month

Does pmi also cover dental?
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Not all do - often it's separate unless it explicitly specifies it.

I've taken out PMI for my family, but it's a salary sacrifice so no tax issues, just lowers my salary a little (less than £200 per month) - so that may be an option for you perhaps.
 
Hodders said:
Private healthcare is wrong - the fact it is needed represents a total failure in public health policy.

Full disclosure - yes I have used private healthcare - I had an inguinal hernia back between Covid lockdowns. The choice was waiting 18 months with NHS or self-pay £2500 and get it fixed in 6 weeks. Sure Covid made the situation worse, but I was lucky to be able to pay.
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A lot of things might be "wrong" in an ideal world, but it does not mean that they are not necessary, which you have confirmed yourself.

Here in N.I. patient are HABITUALLY waiting 5 years for a standard knee/hip replacement, I'm no doctor but I don't think you need to be one to realise how bad that wait is for the patient's health, not just the fact that that the rest of the skeleton such as the back, knees pelvis are likely suffering damage because of the defective joint, but the mental health of 5 years of pain and the effective loss of 5 years of good health.

My brother had a second OGD (camera down the food pipe) after the first one found some thing that might be pre-cancerous. To be fair the second one happened only 8-9 weeks after he first. But that was at the end of Nov, and here we are mid March and he is still waiting to hear what the outcome of the second one was, the GP has heard nothing.

I had a digestive issue about 18 months ago. chances are I'd still be waiting for my first consultant's appointment if I left it to the NHS here in N.I. Meanwhile I had a 2 colonoscopies, an abdominal CT scan, and 6 consultant appointments, and it's been resolved. Total paid by Aviva, £5200.

My insurance this year was around £1400. I just had £500 of physio for tennis elbow over the last 3 months, paid out of that. That doesn't count as a claim.

I'm 61 and I have just the very beginnings of a dodgy hip, might need a replacement in 3-4 years time. I'll be damned if when I need it I'm going to suffer in my mid-60s for 5 years waiting to get it.
 
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Mine is with Aviva, wife's is about 900 and I pay tax on 900 for mine

Did have a £30k claim though 5 years back so well in profit ;)
 
Richard - London said:
You guys covered by a work plan, what are you paying? its costing me about 5500 of my year tax allowance here for me and my partner with AXA
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£470 a year with Aviva so cost to me is £188. Been on it for about 3 years and it's covered 2 rounds of physio plus MRI/Consultants fees in that time so still well in profit.
 
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