I'm old: Is private medical insurance worth it?

[Noggin]

Not sure whether to be offended or laugh!!

The physio's picture book was a metal contraption to rival your shoulder. Having heard your tale of woe about the original NHS botch job I was crapping myself more than a bit!

LOL. TBF the NhS didn’t botch the op. The French surgeon that did the second even said they did a good job (almost unheard of for a French surgeon to compliment a Brit surgeon!!)
But they were, apparently always likely to fail. And the lack of any aftercare offered in the Uk, and the fact that I was given the impression that a ‘bit of physio once a week or a fortnight’ would be ok was probably a huge factor

It’s why the difference between the uk system and the French is huge - and the French is almost private


But if you need a shoulder op in the uk - find a good surgeon and then sort out really good rehab afterwards!!!!

[Mr Moofo]

@Trinity765 - I have sent you a PM . Hope you don't mind

[Count Steer]

Re going private. They interviewed a chap in Ukraine on the radio this morning. He'd spent 7.5hrs getting there from the UK...for his appointment for a cheap knee operation.

[Trinity765]

@Trinity765 - I have sent you a PM . Hope you don't mind

I don't mind but I haven't got it.

[Trinity765]

Re going private. They interviewed a chap in Ukraine on the radio this morning. He'd spent 7.5hrs getting there from the UK...for his appointment for a cheap knee operation.

That doesn't make sense on a few levels.

If he's a Brit with health insurance, it must be an international policy which would cover him in several countries so why go to the Ukraine?

It sounds like he is self funded.

[Trinity765]

We have a specific rule that you will not be covered when traveling to a country that's in conflict and therefore showing a blatant disregard for your own safety.

[Count Steer]

Re going private. They interviewed a chap in Ukraine on the radio this morning. He'd spent 7.5hrs getting there from the UK...for his appointment for a cheap knee operation.

That doesn't make sense on a few levels.

If he's a Brit with health insurance, it must be an international policy which would cover him in several countries so why go to the Ukraine?

It sounds like he is self funded.

Yes. I think he was paying for it - insurance wasn't mentioned. There's quite a market in overseas ops. Go private at half the cost sort of thing - makes 'self insuring' an even more attractive option.

[Trinity765]

Re going private. They interviewed a chap in Ukraine on the radio this morning. He'd spent 7.5hrs getting there from the UK...for his appointment for a cheap knee operation.

That doesn't make sense on a few levels.

If he's a Brit with health insurance, it must be an international policy which would cover him in several countries so why go to the Ukraine?

It sounds like he is self funded.

Yes. I think he was paying for it - insurance wasn't mentioned. There's quite a market in overseas ops. Go private at half the cost sort of thing - makes 'self insuring' an even more attractive option.

The USA is considered to have the best (private) healthcare with the UK being the second best so those with money travel here or there. Those on a tighter budget usually go somewhere in Europe but not here. This is reflected in the premiums with the USA having, by far, the highest premium. I've seen annual subscription bills for a family that are in the tens of thousands.

Years ago a Brit couple with international cover inc. USA decided to have their baby in the USA. They had GBP9k to spend and I've no idea if they bothered to check their benefit limit but 9k isn't a lot, especially in the USA. The bill came to GBP15k so they were left with quite a shortfall to pay and the hospitals in the USA get nasty quick if you don't come up with the money.

The Americans are very savvy when it comes to health insurance - they know what they are getting and they know what a Certificate Of Coverage is and what it means - they read it. Same for most people who live in a country with no free health service.

The cheapest and best health insurance cover comes as part of an employment package with a large corporate company - it's not something an individual could afford.

[Cousin Jack]

The cheapest and best health insurance cover comes as part of an employment package with a large corporate company - it's not something an individual could afford.

As I found out when I left a large corporate company.

[Count Steer]

My aunt and uncle lived in the USA most of their working lives - had their own business so paid their own health insurance as a business expense. He was ill and it still nearly bankrupted them.

Insurance seems to drive prices up - as anyone that's had pet bills since insurance became a thing will know!

For people paying their own way there are various places with specialisms. Kerala seems to be knee replacements for up to $2k (depending on which European make of knee you choose). For the retired, a $2k op + 4 weeks relatively inexpensive R&R + aftercare in a pleasant, warm place is quite attractive. The facility looks state of the art. Doesn't take many years of banking what the insurance premiums would have been to cover it. Be better still to get it done on the NHS for 'free' then have a hollibob!

Edit: One thing I wouldn't be without is dental insurance. That's not cripplingly expensive and has been

[lostboy]

I am a huge supporter of the NHS and I feel most Brits take it for granted.

That's rather stating the obvious when you see that who the people that moan about it most vote for. Turkeys and Christmas spring to mind.

A fellow fan of the NHS (with private healthcare, through my company).

[Trinity765]

I am a huge supporter of the NHS and I feel most Brits take it for granted.

That's rather stating the obvious when you see that who the people that moan about it most vote for. Turkeys and Christmas spring to mind.

A fellow fan of the NHS (with private healthcare, through my company).

Same here - I get private healthcare through work. It's a weird benefit - nice to have but I don't really want to use it.

Also through work I have seen the invoices that come in with claims. I used to be shocked by it but soon it just turned to numbers. Now I'm in IT/Communications and have nothing to do with the medical side of it.

[Noggin]

[

Same here - I get private healthcare through work. It's a weird benefit - nice to have but I don't really want to use it.

But. If you have private insurance and it covers what you need. Then surely that is taking one person’s worth of strain off the NHS?

When I was covered by my BDad’s insurance, it benefitted me as I could get seen faster but also didn’t add another person to the waiting list

[Trinity765]

[

Same here - I get private healthcare through work. It's a weird benefit - nice to have but I don't really want to use it.

But. If you have private insurance and it covers what you need. Then surely that is taking one person’s worth of strain off the NHS?

When I was covered by my BDad’s insurance, it benefitted me as I could get seen faster but also didn’t add another person to the waiting list

I don't want to use my health insurance because I don't want to be ill or injured.

[lostboy]

[

Same here - I get private healthcare through work. It's a weird benefit - nice to have but I don't really want to use it.

But. If you have private insurance and it covers what you need. Then surely that is taking one person’s worth of strain off the NHS?

When I was covered by my BDad’s insurance, it benefitted me as I could get seen faster but also didn’t add another person to the waiting list

I don't want to have to use it to take the pressure off the NHS. I want a properly funded NHS - where the Drs don't spend all their time working out how to do more private work - so that everyone is able to take advantage of the incredible service that they offer (more often than not) despite the bullshit management that they have to deal with.

It's all very well championing how great the private medical sector is but have a look at the US and work out who is going to be able to afford it - whether they're paying insurance directly or via company insurance - and who is going to miss out. Also work out the volume of people that won't get care or will be bankrupted trying to get it. Ask yourself how many of your family and friends are in that group and are likely to get into that group when costs ramp up even further......

[slowsider]

[

Same here - I get private healthcare through work. It's a weird benefit - nice to have but I don't really want to use it.

But. If you have private insurance and it covers what you need. Then surely that is taking one person’s worth of strain off the NHS?

When I was covered by my BDad’s insurance, it benefitted me as I could get seen faster but also didn’t add another person to the waiting list

The queues are partly because the consultants are busy seeing private patients; you are on the waiting list but bumped up to the top.

[Mussels]

[

Same here - I get private healthcare through work. It's a weird benefit - nice to have but I don't really want to use it.

But. If you have private insurance and it covers what you need. Then surely that is taking one person’s worth of strain off the NHS?

When I was covered by my BDad’s insurance, it benefitted me as I could get seen faster but also didn’t add another person to the waiting list

I don't want to have to use it to take the pressure off the NHS. I want a properly funded NHS - where the Drs don't spend all their time working out how to do more private work - so that everyone is able to take advantage of the incredible service that they offer (more often than not) despite the bullshit management that they have to deal with.

It's all very well championing how great the private medical sector is but have a look at the US and work out who is going to be able to afford it - whether they're paying insurance directly or via company insurance - and who is going to miss out. Also work out the volume of people that won't get care or will be bankrupted trying to get it. Ask yourself how many of your family and friends are in that group and are likely to get into that group when costs ramp up even further......

Where would you draw the line at properly funding the NHS? Anything that anybody wants wouldn't be popular as the tax payer would end up footing the bill for a lot of unnecessary treatment, so a line needs to be established between essential and nice to have and I suspect that's where the current line is pretty much.
My mum self funded her cateract operation recently because she also wanted her eyesight corrected at the same time, it was nice to have but far from essential.

[Noggin]

I don't want to use my health insurance because I don't want to be ill or injured.

Nor do I, but here I am sat in hospital for the 6th day!!

At least when I get home I'm allowed to see a physio 3 times per week - covered by the normal health system, not private (although, it is backed up by my top up insurance - but would cost me approx 3€ per visit without the top up insurance). I'd never get that in the UK unless I had very good private cover

I don't want to have to use it to take the pressure off the NHS. I want a properly funded NHS - where the Drs don't spend all their time working out how to do more private work - so that everyone is able to take advantage of the incredible service that they offer (more often than not) despite the bullshit management that they have to deal with.

It's all very well championing how great the private medical sector is but have a look at the US and work out who is going to be able to afford it - whether they're paying insurance directly or via company insurance - and who is going to miss out. Also work out the volume of people that won't get care or will be bankrupted trying to get it. Ask yourself how many of your family and friends are in that group and are likely to get into that group when costs ramp up even further......

Oh I don't advocate the US system at all, am well aware of how that 'doesn't' work (my sis lived there for long enough to know). But it's not just jumping hte queue in a lot of cases. Often, if there is a delay, the issue becomes worse and so other things will then cost more to the NHS because you waited.

Most Uk residents want a properly funded (or properly managed) NHS, but very few are willing to pay for it. Over here people keep telling me that the taxes are high, but the care of people in whatever way is needed is a million times better than the UK. I reckon that's worth higher taxes any day - but not many in the UK agree as any time someone suggests bumping up taxes to help the NHS, there is uproar. Mind you, I am pretty sure that it could be restructured to make things better, but again, uproar

The queues are partly because the consultants are busy seeing private patients; you are on the waiting list but bumped up to the top.

Maybe, but as I said above - complications due to long waits cause more issues ot the NHS. There is definitely a balance!!

[Count Steer]

Where would you draw the line at properly funding the NHS? Anything that anybody wants wouldn't be popular as the tax payer would end up footing the bill for a lot of unnecessary treatment, so a line needs to be established between essential and nice to have and I suspect that's where the current line is pretty much.
My mum self funded her cateract operation recently because she also wanted her eyesight corrected at the same time, it was nice to have but far from essential.

Good question re what's elective and what's not but that current line isn't very clear.

The MRI scanner in the local county hospital is on the NHS site, in a separate building, with its own parking and is run by a private company. I understand that the capital investment is pretty huge and it's simpler for the Health Authority to say 'OK, you do it' but it is, essentially a privatised chunk of the service that is used, primarily, for non-elective purposes. The concern there is that there may be a reluctance to send you for a scan if it's £500 out the door and appears on the ledgers for the GP group (which is also privately run by another health company). Behind the scenes some pathology services have been hived off too. Slowly, but surely it is being transformed to the American model.

Ambulance? Certainly sir, which health insurance company are you with?

[Mr Moofo]

I am a huge supporter of the NHS and I feel most Brits take it for granted.

That's rather stating the obvious when you see that who the people that moan about it most vote for. Turkeys and Christmas spring to mind.

A fellow fan of the NHS (with private healthcare, through my company).

And it is very well paid - in the senior roles - 65% increase in salaries in the last 10 years ...