Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: barkbomes9 on May 05, 2020, 03:49:58 PM
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I am leaving my current employer and loosing the nice perk of free health insurance. My new employer has no such perk.
I have searched the forum and can find a few posts of opinions on taking up the employer perk, but what is the general concensus of paying the lot yourself?
I am 37, and would consider myself fit and in excellent health. No family history of major problems. I have used my insurance in the past, only for a few minor sports injuries that I could have covered to cost for myself.
Quotes are around ?50-?80 a month. Whilst not a great deal it does make me think I may just be best paying as you go as then I could dictate my own treatment options and get a speedy diagnosis and then let the NHS deal with anything major (they appear good and speedy at the critical things).
I always run with a good ?20k emergency fund so would fall back on this if required.
Thoughts?
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Hi! We were covered with DH's Insurance for which he paid tax. It was handy in the 1990s when I had breast disease, but it didn't cover psychological or dentistry. Had I know that when I had my running stitch removed from the wound was going to cost me a tenner, I would have pulled it out myself ;D.
We are in a position that should push come to shove, we would pay for surgery. Our dental treatment is pay as we go as we don't like DenPlan ..... I have trust in my dental surgeon and his team and I have difficult teeth so it's worth it for me.
Private treatment means that the patient pays for every stitch. Pretty much like taking a pet to the Vet..
Consultation
X-rays
Blood tests
Surgery
Anaethestist
Ward Staff
Food ............ which continues after discharge. I had radiation treatment which was covered at the time.
Maybe ring round to find out what private care costs these days? Also, how do you want to spend your age, would it be better to save towards B&B and maybe nursing care. Mum is currently in a care home and it's ?48.000 per year. B&B, evening meal, bedding, cleaning costs, hot water, TV licence, assisted bathing ......... chiropodist and hair dresser is extra and they charge when she goes out on a trip - but I queried this as she has already paid for the lunch in the home that she hasn't eaten :-\. Never had a reply.
But I digress.
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Good Luck in your new job!
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When I was in your position i didn't. My thinking is that for anything serious you're better off in the nhs anyway. I thought it would be more cost effective to pay for anything I needed and so far it's been ?200 in 15 years. It does enable you to be treated sooner but at 37 you'd be unlucky if your treatment cost more than the insurance.
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What I didn't realise when I went into Private Hospital was that emergency services aren't available so for example, if one had a heart attack one would be sent to the local Hospital as there wasn't a Physician on site. No SHOs or Registrars to cover night duty simply a Sister and nursing staff.
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Surprised you didn't know that CLKD. They are treatment centres and not geared up for emergencies.
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I am leaving my current employer and loosing the nice perk of free health insurance. My new employer has no such perk.
I have searched the forum and can find a few posts of opinions on taking up the employer perk, but what is the general concensus of paying the lot yourself?
I am 37, and would consider myself fit and in excellent health. No family history of major problems. I have used my insurance in the past, only for a few minor sports injuries that I could have covered to cost for myself.
Quotes are around ?50-?80 a month. Whilst not a great deal it does make me think I may just be best paying as you go as then I could dictate my own treatment options and get a speedy diagnosis and then let the NHS deal with anything major (they appear good and speedy at the critical things).
I always run with a good ?20k emergency fund so would fall back on this if required.
Thoughts?
There are providers such as Benenden Health, which are much cheaper but not so comprehensive. Depends what your needs are risk are really.
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I could write a book on private health insurance 😞
If I had my time again I would never go private especially if I had a pot of money. it's great for little things but not good for big things and if things go wrong, well you know my story. It doesn't cover any kind of emergency.
I now pay bupa ?300 a month and feel trapped. My serious health issues caused by complications during hysterectomy mean I'm now classed as very complex. I will probably be cancelling my cover soon as my main problems now cannot be treated privately. The big advantage of private insurance is you get a consultants time and build up a relationship but again if things go badly wrong, it complicates things massively and there is no support from agencies like Pals, ombudsman etc etc
I'm probably rare . It has its place but didn't work for me.
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I think you have had a very bad experience with very complex problems. Mostly though I think it works well. We had private cover, through my husbands job, for about 35 years, and had very good treatment.
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I think you have had a very bad experience with very complex problems. Mostly though I think it works well. We had private cover, through my husbands job, for about 35 years, and had very good treatment.
Yes you are right. It works well unless something goes wrong then it's not so good.
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From Australia and I would never have private insurance. I know a couple who pay over $6000 a year.
The thing that makes me angry with private insurance is if you get anything done you still get a bill?
My best friend daughter just had a baby she will get a bill for $4000. And her last surgery was stuff up and they said she was very lucky that her baby wasn't born stillborn.
I always gone public here (Medicare) I've had two births, thyroid operation, ovarian cyst surgery, endometriosis and Ovary cyst operation, and hysterectomy. Never had any problems.
My friend is a nurse and has worked both private and public, she said public is much better. A lot more checking each other work and signing ofF on medication.
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That's interesting, but I don't think you can compare the two systems.
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Hi
I've got health insurance, and all of my experiences have been good. I had a colonoscopy last year, and a whole raft of stuff this year (CT scan, endoscopy, US scan and loads of blood tests).
The CT scan was arranged after a really horrible experience of a supposedly urgent NHS referral (not saying all of NHS is bad, but in this case it was pretty rubbish)
My premiums will probably be unaffordable next year having had all that, but luckily, I've just taken a permie job (its actually my contract job, they asked me to go permanent, for which I am so grateful in this current climate) which offer BUPA.
So, probably a case of swings and roundabouts, looking at the other replies :-)
Jeepers xx
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Private insurance is clutch 'cause it gets you faster access to treatments and specialists without dealing with long NHS waits. It’s a big relief knowing you won’t blow through your savings if something serious happens. Plus, as you get older, stuff just tends to go wrong more, so insurance is a solid backup.
If you wanna check out private health insurance, hit up https://premierpmi.co.uk/ (https://premierpmi.co.uk/). They’ve got advice on different plans to fit your needs and budget, so you can find good coverage without breaking the bank.
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1 has to be careful of the Premiums though which can rise until the costs outweigh the benefits. Also some Insurance Companies will worm their way out of paying :-\
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I have looked into private insurance and the amount of things that aren't covered and number of get outs makes it not worthwhile in my opinion (unless you have a job that includes it obviously)
Better to have a savings account for emergencies, and use the private sector smartly on a self pay basis eg to access a diagnostic test or initial specialist appointment more quickly, then go back to the NHS for the ongoing treatment where applicable.
Also the way they calculate risk is super inaccurate clinically - I am a clean eating disabled athlete yet my desk jockey husband with a beer belly and a highly processed diet would have had much lower premiums.
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This really comes down to your risk tolerance and how much value you place on certainty and convenience. At 37, fit, and with a strong emergency fund, it’s understandable to question whether paying monthly premiums makes sense-especially if your past usage has been minimal and you’re comfortable relying on the NHS for anything serious. Many people in a similar position take the view you’re describing: self-fund minor issues, use private care mainly for fast diagnostics or elective treatment, and fall back on the NHS for major or long-term conditions. The main downside is that health can change unexpectedly, and once something is diagnosed, it may no longer be insurable on favourable terms, which is where private cover can quietly earn its keep even if you don’t “use” it much.It’s also worth thinking beyond your current health snapshot and considering future flexibility. Policies can sometimes be structured to balance cost and coverage, for example by increasing excess, limiting outpatient cover, or focusing on core inpatient treatment. If you ever develop an issue later on, understanding options around health insurance for pre-existing conditions can be particularly useful, as this is often where people feel caught out after deciding to go fully pay-as-you-go. Even if you ultimately decide not to take cover now, getting informed here https://premierpmi.co.uk/health-insurance-for-pre-existing-conditions/ about how underwriting works and what can and can’t be insured later is time well spent.
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I’m 49 and I did consider Bupa a few years ago but it was going to cost £100 a month which I wasn’t prepared to pay at the time. I’ve since had chronic health issues and after several bad experiences with the nhs went for a private consultation but the consultant diagnosed me then referred me to the nhs, supposedly urgently but then I found out after a few months that he had referred me to the routine clinic. The nhs doctor played down my issues even though I was really suffering and then a year later find that she failed to refer me to another nhs dept like she said she would. So I found both private and nhs to be a nightmare. I ended up having to sort out my issues to a large extent through internet research and a naturopath and osteopath. If money was no object I would get private insurance but wouldn’t completely trust them to pay out as this has been mine and others experience of home insurance. I’m still waiting for that nhs appointment 14 months on. I don’t know anyone else with private health insurance so wouldn’t have a clue who to go to, it sounds like a minefield. I’m sure lots of people have had more positive experiences but that’s just my experience.
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I personally think you are better with self pay because then you can choose where you go and whom you see, and can vet them before making an appointment.
Also, and this goes for the NHS as well, if you are supposedly being referred to a particular service, call them after a week or two to check that your referral has been received and that it is appropriately prioritised eg urgent vs routine.
Katherine's experience is common sadly, either the referral hasn't been sent, urgent has been sent as routine, or as has happened to myself and family, the referral has been rejected by the clinic without even the decency to tell the patient, who then waits months believing they are on a waiting list.
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It’s happened to me twice in recent years where I was told I’d been referred but after a year found out I’m not on the waiting list. You’re right bombsh3ll, in future I will be phoning up and checking. I have savings in case I need private treatment. I can’t get my head round how common all this is, it’s unbelievable. Sorry it happened to you too Bombsh3ll.
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I’m 49 and I did consider Bupa a few years ago but it was going to cost £100 a month which I wasn’t prepared to pay at the time. I’ve since had chronic health issues and after several bad experiences with the nhs went for a private consultation but the consultant diagnosed me then referred me to the nhs, supposedly urgently but then I found out after a few months that he had referred me to the routine clinic. The nhs doctor played down my issues even though I was really suffering and then a year later find that she failed to refer me to another nhs dept like she said she would. So I found both private and nhs to be a nightmare. I ended up having to sort out my issues to a large extent through internet research and a naturopath and osteopath. If money was no object I would get private insurance but wouldn’t completely trust them to pay out as this has been mine and others experience of home insurance. I’m still waiting for that nhs appointment 14 months on. I don’t know anyone else with private health insurance so wouldn’t have a clue who to go to, it sounds like a minefield. I’m sure lots of people have had more positive experiences but that’s just my experience.
You really don't have to pay such high prices.
The scheme we are in costs less than £16 per person per month. Over the years my husband has had three operations with them. We wouldn't be without it.
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I think insurance works well for people who are apparently healthy when they take it out and require only unforeseeable and unrelated surgical procedures that are curative.
If someone has one or more chronic conditions, a complex medical history or develops something requiring ongoing care, it is much less helpful.
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Aprilflower would you mind telling me who your provider is in case I ever decide to get insurance?
I have silent reflux and asthma so does that mean I wouldn't be covered for anything related to these conditions?
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I'll send you a PM, so as not to break any forum rules.