jamielewis

Long time watcher, first time poster! What is the general consensus on health insurance in the UK? I've been out of the UK for 10 years and have heard horror stories about the NHS. Does anyone have experience of buying a policy and what to look for?

robin1234

I don't have an answer, but I think it is a difficult one for this reason. We left the UK when we were 40 years old, never had a day's illness etc. and our major experience of the NHS was the birth of our two children. Generally satisfactory experiences with the usual some better and some worse. Now we are 60+, let's face it, eventually you start to engage with the health services more regularly and in more of a life-or-death sort of way. The fact that health insurance in the UK is reasonably priced, and appears to complement rather than replace NHS, makes it something worth looking at..

Englishmum

Here is a link to BUPA in the UK.

If you don't want to sign up for an insurance plan, you can choose to have individual treatment or check-ups which you pay for on a 'self-pay' basis:

http://www.bupa.co.uk/

dunroving

You don't indicate in your post or profile where you are currently living, but UK health insurance is certainly cheaper than health insurance in the US, and is a handy thing to have if a) you prefer the perks of smaller wards or an individual room, and/or b) need treatment done more urgently (waiting times are perhaps the biggest problem with the NHS).

On the morning news last week they were interviewing two women who were survivors of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose (because the symptoms vary from one person to the next, and are often mistaken for something else). It is therefore often mis-diagnosed. The one woman said she was on a long waiting list for a scan with the NHS, so decided to go private as she could afford it. Her comment (from the doctor that diagnosed her from the scan) was that she was lucky because if she had waited until she got a scan from the NHS, the cancer would have been too advanced. So, for illnesses like that, health insurance may be worth it.

Health insurance gets more expensive the older you get, for obvious reasons. I'm not sure though whether your premiums as an oldie are less expensive if you have been a customer of the same company for a long time.

BUPA is one of the most popular and is reasonably priced, I think. Englishmum already gave you the link.

Bob

If you're planning on working back in the UK, you might find BUPA is a offered perk, especially in the tech/IT industry.

I've a few mates that were offered it as a benefit, two of them don't have to pay a penny, one has to pay 60 squid a month for it to extend the coverage to a family plan.

Still, quite cheap.

As for NHS and waiting lists, depends on where you live. Some areas are worse than others. The horror stories you tend to hear in the news are because no one cares about stuff that works and have good outcomes.

margaretmwilson

Dont listen too much to the horror stories, I worked in the NHS for 30 years before coming to the USA in 2009. There have been lots of new targets set in place by the government and it is all about patient choice now. There are stringent cancer wait targets in place and if they are not met the particular health trust will be penalised. My next door neighbour said to me "we don't want a healthcare system like the English one" he was of the opinion that you still had to wait about 2 years for an operation and had to have any particular surgeon which is not the case now. A lot of people use private healthcare like BUPA to have an initial consultation with a doctor and then if they need treatment they go on to the NHS waiting list.

BristolUK

It's probably those death panels he's worried about.

garfro

From what i hear the US health insurance companies are lining up in the UK to offer insurance and a lot of people in the UK are gladly accepting it!!!!
Little do they know!!!
I am moving home soon and might go on a crusade to get this stopped
G

Sally Redux

I can only say that the older people in our families are getting fantastic care on the NHS with no waiting.

Green_Girl

Bupa is one of the better insurers, but I would advise using a comparison website to find a policy. I used www.activequote.com, pretty useful if you have no idea of the market. I currently have health insurance with Aviva, although my husband and I are planning a move to France soon so will be testing out the healthcare over there!

I only got health insurance a few years ago, after my husband had trouble with waiting lists on the NHS. My premiums are quite low, because I chose Aviva's 'Speedy Diagnosis' option'- this covers me for private tests and scans but I actually get treated on the NHS. This might be a good option for you to start with, because to be honest its the waiting lists that seem to be the problem over here.

Alternatively, as previously mentioned, you could get a cash plan- this gives you money towards certain procedures and you don't have to pay as much each month.

Don't listen too much to the stories in the newspapers, they do tend to exaggerate, but I have to admit I am looking forward to moving abroad so I don't have to deal with the NHS reforms that are on the horizon.

Hope that helps!

Tr1boy

Can't say about value for money as my company pays for mine and I have no idea how much it is (I do know it's only £28 pm for me to add my wife though). My policy is with Aviva (they outsource serious casesike mine to HCML) and there were more than brilliant when my back exploded in Sept.

I had a physio appointed, an MRI arranged and a surgeon arranged all in two days, and the third day I was in a private hospital in a large room and the fourth day I was operated on. It was all so smooth and expertly handled that I was amazed. I only have the Oz private health experience to compare with but it was light years ahead in the UK, especially follow up services.

I do know however that my policy does not cover dental, naturapathy or sports equipment subs, anything like that. I know I can add those options out of my own pocket if I wish.

So not much help on the cost front but I'm happy with Aviva's service.

sallysimmons

Mine too - both my own family and my in-laws. I am always amazed that they can get a same day doctor's appointment if necessary (and home visits!!)

There is a 3-week wait to see my doctor and if you tell them it's more urgent than that, they send you to the emergency room. I can only imagine the howls of caustic laughter that would erupt should I request a home visit.

sallysimmons

Where are you moving to? There seem to be very few places with more generous system than the UK. Even Canada and Australia are not free in the same way the NHS is. As for America ....

Englishmum

Tell me about it. My son (aged 23) became ill last Friday whilst I was at the airport to meet my spouse who's arrived from Zurich. We ended up taking him to the ER. The very first thing they wanted to see - before looking at him - was his insurance details.

He was put on a drip and they took a blood test which proved inconclusive, but referred him to a gastroenterologist.

We took him along to see a doctor this afternoon....again the very first thing they wanted to see was his insurance details.

Ours isn't quite as straightforward as we are with BUPA International which contracts out to United Healthcare Int. in the US. The receptionists always seem alarmed as they don't recognise the insurance details on the card and that they have to call the freephone 1-800 number.

Odd that whenever you watch US medical dramas eg. ER, House, Grey's Anatomy no-one ever asks for insurance info! (And the patients or their visitors never make comments about being concerned about the medical bills! )

I had a row with the b1tch of a receptionist at my local GP's as she refused to call the 1-800 number as "it would tie up the phone for clients" I'm due for a mammogram and PAP smear but guess what - I'm going to arrange to get it done at the BUPA hospital in London - where I'll be passing through - as fortunately the BUPA insurance plans give global coverage.

Sally Redux

It's a total package of care - doctor home visits, district nurse, social workers, care workers. No-one has had to wait for anything.

Whereas my husband went to get some routine blood tests done today but the snotty receptionist told him he has to come back next month as it won't be covered this month because the primary care physician has moved to a new group - of course we're still paying our premiums, just hope nothing happens before to us before Dec 1st