Bupa health insurance offers a flexible and adaptable private medical insurance policy
You can choose from three core options and then customise them around your medical insurance requirements.
These options are 1.Comprehensive 2. Prompt Diagnosis 3. Treatment and Care
Broadly speaking the three different core options are different levels of cover, starting the 'Comprehensive' option, which includes;
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‘Covers medical costs for diagnosis and tests, treatment and aftercare.
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Private consultation at a private hospital or clinic at a time to suit you.
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Access to the latest medical diagnostic tests and scans, including MRI, CT and PET.
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Treatment and aftercare at a private hospital with a private room or private wing of an NHS hospital.
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Access to the latest effective cancer treatment and drugs (including some not available on the NHS), plus a dedicated helpline with specialist cancer nurses to answer your concerns.
No financial limits - so you'll have peace of mind that you won’t run out of funding for eligible treatment with the hospitals you’ve chosen as part of your policy and a fee assured consultant.
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24-hour access to HealthLine - our team of trained Bupa nurses will give you guidance about any health issues.
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Select a hospital network which is right for your healthcare needs and budget, and an excess to reduce your monthly payments.’
The second core option Prompt Diagnosis according to Bupa is for people who want their health problems identified quickly. With access to the latest medical diagnostic tests and scans, Prompt Diagnosis helps reduce the wait for tests, helping to reassure you and to identify any potential health problems so these can be addressed as quickly as possible.’
This policy includes
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‘Fast access to private consultations following a GP referral.
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Access to the latest tests and scans including X-ray, MRI, CT and PET at a private hospital at a time that suits you.
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No financial limits - so you'll have peace of mind that you won’t run out of funding for eligible treatment with the hospitals you’ve chosen as part of your policy and a fee assured consultant.
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A more affordable option. Everyone’s healthcare needs are different which is why
Bupa By You gives you the option to spend your money where it’s most important
to you.
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Select a hospital network which is right for your healthcare needs and budget, and an excess to reduce your monthly payments.’
The third option is the Treatment and Care option, which is aimed at people who are happy to get diagnosed by the NHS but would like to receive treatment privately.
Once you’ve been diagnosed, Bupa will cover the cost of treatment and aftercare by a private consultant in a private hospital.
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‘You will be provided with a private room to recover in (or private room in the private wing of an NHS hospital). In some cases, you even have the option of having some of your treatment at home.
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Access to the latest effective cancer treatment and drugs (including some not available on the NHS), plus a dedicated helpline with specialist cancer nurses to answer your concerns.
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No financial limits - so you'll have peace of mind that you won’t run out of funding for eligible treatment with the hospitals you’ve chosen as part of your policy and a fee assured consultant.
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A more affordable option. Everyone's healthcare needs are different which is why Bupa By You gives you the option to spend your money where it is most important
to you.
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Select a hospital network which is right for your healthcare needs and budget, and an excess to reduce your monthly payments.’ source Bupa website.
Health Insurance Search have preferential terms with major insurance brokers for more information on Bupa or other medical insurance providers click either of the links below.
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Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
Aviva Offer A New Flexible Product For Families and Individuals, and we get 25% off the premium!
With their new product, ‘Healthier Solutions for individuals and their families,’ This PMI product is a flexible healthcare insurance product. The product is can be fit around your needs and budget.
It starts with a core level of cover and then you have various options to upgrade the cover or reduce the premium costs.
The flexibility has many advantages if you are working on a tight budget for your medical insurance costs.
This new product includes
• Access to MyHealthCounts, so you can find out how healthy they are and receive up to 15% discount on next year’s premium.
• NEW - A 66% no claim discount for new policies, plus they’ve added a protected no claim discount option • Family cover - pay for themselves and your eldest child under 20 and all younger children are covered FREE
• NEW – This gives you the choice of an increased range of excess options, including £3,000 and £5,000, ( higher excess can reduce health insurance costs )
• A range of added value benefits including 24-hour GP helpline and health and fitness club discount.
There is also no claims discount of up to 75% depending on how many times you claim free. All new policyholders can obtain a starting discount of up to 66%. You can protect your no claim discount, this means if you make a claim you won’t be penalised at renewal (terms and conditions apply).
If you need to know more use either of the contact buttons below.
25% discount available at time of posting. Please check to ensure this is still available.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
Get More Cover For Your Premium or Just Lower Your Premium
If you called us if you have health insurance already one of four things will happen.
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We will reduce the cost of what you are paying currently
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You’ll get more cover, a better policy for the same money
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We might reduce the cost of your cover and get you a better policy
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Or finally we sometimes say, 'you’ve got a great deal the best thing to do, is do nothing.'
If you don’t have medical insurance, we’ll answer any questions that you care to ask and provide you with a quote, if you think medical insurance is for you.
So how can you reduce the cost of your health insurance?
1. Use a Medical Insurance Broker - I’ll get the self promotion out of the way first! ‘talk to a broker like us who is part of a larger business that has buying power with the insurance companies to get a competitive quote.’
2. Increase Your Excess - Just like car insurance you can pay an higher excess and get a bigger discount.
3. Change the hospital choice - You can select different types of hospitals.
4. Get rewarded for being healthy - You could consider PRUHEATH’s vitality programme and get discounts for staying fit and healthy.
5. Look at no claims plans - You can get discount, i.e. a No Claims Discount Plan.
6. Reduce the scope of your cover - to remove cover that you don’t require. There is no point in being over insurred.
7. Select a waiting period, for example; On a 6 week waiting period, if the NHS can provide treatment locally within 6 weeks, you would use them. But if they cannot, then the policy will arrange treatment without a waiting time.
8. Lifestyle - Make some lifestyle changes such as giving up smoking, taking regular exercise.
9. Pay annually Some insurers offer a discount if you pay annually rather than monthly.
10. Pay by debit card or cheque Paying by credit card is expensive. The interest paid can be expensive. Some companies charge a small fee for paying by credit card.
These are just a few of the ways you can cut the cost of medical insurance. Call for further information about other options.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
Why Go Private?
Well in the UK we pay for a health service out of our taxes, so why would you want to pay for something that's free?
NHS Rationing - The National Health Service budget is under pressure and this is not likely to change for the foreseeable future. It’s not down to cuts its increasing demand and increased costs. So you could be on the receiving end of rationing.
Speed Avoid Waiting - Depending on the type of medical insurance cover that you take out, your situation can be dealt with faster. Which is really important in the case of cancer diagnosis. The waiting times on the NHS have improved between referral and treatment but with budgets being stretched this situation can change.
Choice and Results - Again depending on the type of cover you can choose which consultant to go with. By way of an example one our policyholders was recommended to a top consultant for an operation on his ankle. He was in a cast for two weeks and this was taken off. He used an air cast boot for a further four weeks. At the local NHS hospital someone known to us had the same operation and he was in a cast for six weeks and in an air cast boot for two weeks. By choosing the consultant our policyholder had a better outcome.
Better Facilities - Private hospitals environments are ‘private’ in the context that you’re not on a ward, no mixed gender issues, the facilities are generally better. You should get your own shower, bathing and toilet facilities.
MRSA - Is a major concern; although steps have been taken to combat MRSA in the NHS its still a worry, given that official figures show that about 15% of reported MRSA cases result in death.
We could not find in our research any cases of MRSA in private hospitals. You might care to read a report by the Telegraph on this issue.
Other Reasons for Private Medical Insurance
Unrestricted visiting hours
Personal care: a team of medical students won't be examining you along with your consultant. The consultant generally will be there, to see you when promised, not hours later. You’ll have time with your consultant to discuss your symptoms.
Continuity of care: you are likely to be seen by the same consultant throughout your treatment.
Specialist claim team: your insurer may have a team that deals specifically with a certain type of condition, such as cancer, who can help advise you.
If you have medical insurance already and you want a new quote just use the ‘get a quote’ button, or if you are considering it for the first time, you can arrange a ‘chat’ so that we can provide you with any information that you may require.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
Vitality Programme
As Christmas approaches at the time of writing this review, if you switch on the TV many of the marketing messages are about having a good time indulging in your favourite ‘tipple’ and generally overdoing it on the calories.
And no doubt in January marketing messages on the TV in magazines and on the Internet will change to booking your holiday for next year, join our latest weight loss programme.
In January PRUHEALTH are making some significant changes to their vitality programme.
If you never heard of the vitality programme before here's a quick overview.
The emphasis is on getting healthy and reducing the cost of your medical insurance by being rewarded for your efforts, in lifestyle changes which include exercise, stopping smoking and losing weight.
Now if you're fairly active already then that's really a bonus. On the other hand if you are currently fairly sedentary, help is at hand to get yourself fit.
There are various discounts available on equipment that can be used to monitor your progress and a number of gyms, which you can join again at a discount. But you don't have to join a gym to collect points. Just by recording a walk using a fit bug or through recording your efforts with a polar heart rate monitor, are ways to communicate with PRUHEALTH.
The results of your efforts can be used to reduce the cost of your medical insurance.
PRUHEALTH are there for you. If your New Year's resolution is to give up smoking, they are offering a discount on ‘Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking course.
These prices are correct as of January 2012.
Allen Carr has over 40 centres in the UK. You can go on the Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking course for £49 instead of £220. These centres are so confident that they can help people to stop smoking that they’ll give you a full refund if the course doesn’t work.’ According to PRUHEATH’S product brochure.
MORE REWARDS – All discounted
Discounted diagnostic clinics
Health screening
Virgin Active and LA fitness gym membership
Sainsbury’s Pharmacy (wellness check no discount but it earns points currently only £9)
BMI Healthcare – screening various levels They look at your lifestyle, and work out if you’re at risk from things like high blood pressure or cholesterol. They also give you some advice on how you can improve your health.
Nuffield Health – health screening
Sainsbury’s making it cheaper and more rewarding for you to eat well. You can get bonus Nectar points when you buy certain healthy foods from Sainsbury’s. And you can get a discount when you join Sainsbury’s online diet programme. They also give you Vitality points when you do these things.
Also there is 25% off Sainsbury’s Diets to help you shift those extra Christmas calories.
If walking is your thing, there is a National Trust offer, which is only 9p per day with their exclusive pass for people in the vitality programme.
Flexible Healthcare
Not only is this programme unique in its emphasis on becoming healthier and rewards for making an effort, it's also quite flexible and has various levels of cover so that you can tailor it to meet your budget.
Health Insurance Search has special terms with PRUHEALTH and we can help you answer any questions relating to how it works, what you need to do, likely discount levels and the potential reduction in cost of your medical insurance.
So if you are going to make a new start in the New Year with regards to your health and fitness, why not give us a call to discuss how vitality could work for you.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
NHS Budget Stretched
An interesting week in the NHS here are a few of the key stories that made the news.
There appears to be a recurring theme, cut backs and rationing in the health service, which is not surprising, given the amount of debt the country is in.
Or is it? Back in 2001 health care expenditure was £54 billion ten years later its £121 billion, which is an average growth of 8.45% per year.
We have haven’t investigated the reasons why the budget has grown significantly over the ten years, even when you take into account of inflation, that could be something for another blog post.
Clearly judging by all the stories of rationing of health care in the UK, protecting your family or company employees with medical insurance could be an option for your consideration.
This weeks news
Viagra rationing to limit patients' sex lives
'With the Christmas holidays approaching fast, hard-working middle-aged couples could be forgiven for viewing the season of mistletoe and wine as a chance to spend a few cherished moments between the sheets.' The Telegraph
As NHS cuts back, thousands are forced to pay for their operations
'Thousands of patients are having to fork out for their operations because of tough restrictions on GP referrals and NHS cutbacks, figures show.
A surge in the number of ‘self-pay’ procedures among desperate patients in recent months has been reported by four private healthcare companies.' The Mail Online
NHS Cuts - Patients Turning To Private Sector, UK
Due to the tight restrictions being placed on GP referrals as well as cuts in the availability of certain procedures on the NHS, more and more individuals are forced to pay for private healthcare. Medical News Today
Care for high-risk surgery 'falling short'
'The care given to high-risk surgery patients is falling short of acceptable standards, an independent review says.' BBC News
If you want to know more about medical insurance as an option to protect your family or company just contact us using either of the buttons below.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
NHS weekly round up, a selection of key stories about changes in the health service
Image from channel4.com
A difficult week in the NHS and thousands go on strike- these are the key stories as the year draws to an end.
Some NHS hospitals should perform fewer procedures, senior figure warns
'Hospitals should stop carrying out complex procedures they only perform occasionally, a senior figure in the Department of Health urges today, after figures showed that it can put patients at up to 70 per cent higher risk of dying. article by the telegraph '
NHS reform 'set to cost £3.4bn'
Coalition reforms of the NHS will cost nearly £3.4 billion, Labour has claimed.
'Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham accused the Government of "burying" the true scale of the cost of the reorganisation in papers setting out the technical details of the plans. He claims an order for primary care trusts to hold back 2% of their budgets over two financial years to pay for the overhaul will total £1.69 billion this year and £1.7 billion in 2011/12.'
The press association
NHS HIV restrictions 'out of step'
'A Government consultation will determine whether restrictions on NHS workers with HIV should be relaxed after a review found an "extremely low" risk of the disease being passed to patients.
England's Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies announced the plan after Government advisers said UK rules were "out of step" with available evidence.
They found the risk of a patient being infected with HIV from an infected healthcare worker during the most invasive type of surgery (such as open heart surgery or hysterectomy) was about one in five million.'
The press association
Strikes: NHS hospitals 'prioritising urgent patients'
Nearly 7,000 out of just over 30,000 were thought to have been affected, while tens of thousands of appointments and tests were also hit across the UK.
But emergency services were kept running as unions and managers agreed contingency plans ahead of the walkout.
BBC News
As the public inquiry into the catalogue of failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust comes to an end, some are asking whether the same thing could happen again elsewhere in the NHS.
BBC News
This review was put together by Health Insurance Search, private medical insurance brokers. If you want more information about health insurance just click one of the links below.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
Double Discount - The Internet Advantage
‘By using this method we saved 10% on our premiums’……
This post was taken from the Whitepaper ‘Ten Ways To Save On Your Company Health Insurance.’ There are ten different methods that you can use to save your company money on your Health Insurance Costs.
Both of these options should not really be a secret. But you would be amazed at the amount of people who have not considered this simple method of reducing premiums.
It has not been unheard of for a sales consultant, or independent broker, to selectively forget to ask if you would like to take up this option since the total premium would be reduced and the commission earned would also be reduced. Of course, this is not to tarnish the majority with the actions of the minority, but the possibility is there!
With most providers you can reduce your premiums by an average of 5% by paying annually. Why do they do this? Simple, if you are paying monthly you only need to give 30 days notice to cancel your policy with most providers at any time during the policy year.
So, by offering a discount for the annual amount up front they have the money in advance and the threat of cancellation is reduced.
What you need to ask yourself is would you prefer to have the discount on your premium or the flexibility to move during the policy year. The likelihood of wanting to move during the policy year is slim so for this example we will assume you are happy to pay annually.
‘Double Discount’
With certain providers you can also obtain a discount by applying online (usually 5% again). Double discount!! Why let them keep the additional profits when you could have it in your bank.
Example
Monthly premium £450.00 Annual Cost £5,400
5% Discount for annual payment Annual Cost £5,130
Saving £270
Annual payment and apply on line Annual Cost £5,130 - 5%
£4,873.50
Saving £526.50
For a large proportion of company schemes this would be equivalent to have one member FREE. Just buy using the system to your advantage.
Ask yourself this question?
Would you be happy, and able, to pay annually in advance and can you provider offer internet discounts?
This is just one idea from ‘Ten Ways To Save On Your Company Health Insurance.’ If you want some help with reviewing this as a way of reducing company medical insurance or other aspects of your medical insurance just click the get a quote button below, even if you are not quite ready to make a decision we are please to help you in anyway we can.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
Six Week Clause - Working with the NHS
This post was taken from the Whitepaper ‘Ten Ways To Save On Your Company Health Insurance’ There are ten different methods that you can use to save your company money on your Health Insurance Costs.
‘If you’re not concerned about using the NHS but don’t want the risk of waiting more than 6 weeks, this could be for you’…….
What is the 6 week rule?
If, following a visit to a specialist in-patient treatment is required and the NHS can carry out the treatment within six weeks you have to use the NHS. If, however the treatment cannot be guaranteed to be undertaken within the six week period the insurance company will pay for you to go private.
Sounds simple enough! And it is! You would simply need to feel comfortable using the NHS, being in a shared ward and eating hospital cuisine….. On a serious note, if the main motivation for obtaining Private Medical Insurance is to limit the risk to the NHS waiting lists to a maximum of six weeks then this could be for your business.
Some people, and I confess to being one of them, would feel a little aggrieved having paid into Private Medical Insurance for many years to then be placed in a shared NHS ward and experience NO benefit from having Private Medical Insurance. But it’s not my money or cover, it’s yours. And in a time of financial constraints this is an excellent way of reducing the premium.
TIP: The reduced premium needs to be compared against a selection of alternative plans without the six week rule, since it is not uncommon to find a cheaper equivalent without the six week delay, therefore, why bother!
Ask yourself this question?
Would you mind using the NHS facilities if the delay could be capped to 6 weeks?
This is just one idea from 'Ten Ways To Save On Your Company Health Insurance.' If you want some help with reviewing this as a way of reducing company medical insurance or other aspects of your medical insurance just click the get a quote button below, even if you are not quite ready to make a decision we are please to help you in anyway we can.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.
New Exclusive Cash Plan With More Benefits
The cash plan that the Health Insurance Group has created with Simplyhealth has some unique features which are not found in any other cash plan within the UK.
The main objective behind the development of this product was; to be able to use it, with existing private medical insurance schemes, to help control future cost going forward, whilst providing additional benefits to the members.
Rather than going through all the benefits of the scheme I would like to just highlight the unique aspects of this cash plans and why they could be important to you.
The exclusive part of the cash plan, when combined with a private medical insurance scheme, include; guaranteeing that you will be able to claim your excess for your private medical insurance back. Other cash plans will allow you to do this, but under strict criteria of what categories you can claim.
No age restrictions for members
For example consultations and therapies and scans would be covered, but if you need to go from a consultation to an operation straightaway and the excess was higher than the consultation, you would not be able to claim the value for the inpatient treatment. With this exclusive plan it guarantees to cover the excess value, whatever that excess is for. It also provides a fee within the policy, a fee to cover, a GP report should you need to make a claim on your private medical insurance. It has no age restriction for the members. Some cash plans have restrictions of 65, or 68. The premium is the same with this policy whether you are 18 or 88!
The dependence cover (typically children under the age of 18 years of age). With a normal cash plan, this was ends at the age of 18, which could cause some complications when combining with private medical insurance, since dependence are covered up to the age of 24. This plan is exclusive as it covers dependence up to the age of 24, ensuring that when combined with the private medical insurance plan, you can claim the full access back for all the members of the family.
We can provide this scheme to you because of our association with the Health Insurance Group. If you would like to know more about the options with this exclusive cash plan or you would like to know more about combining existing private medical insurance to lower the costs of increased premiums just click the get a quote button below.
Obtain you free consultation now, find out how we can help you with competitive quotes and advice.
Health Insurance Search are independant medical insurance brokers, based in the UK helping you get the best medical insurance for you your family or your company.