thinking about private medical insurance

[01maxdog]

I’ve had A fib since 2013 after a stroke , I’m now having a few issues with other medical conditions like osteoarthritis and have been waiting since July to see a consultant. I’m thinking that now as I get older, 70, private medical insurance might be the way to go . I read if I declare the A fib the premiums will be higher . But it would be silly not to . I can’t get to see my GP and am in considerable pain , also mobility is restricted . But I’ve yet to be diagnosed! Is this a waste of money ? Thoughts pls . I’m filled with dread at the moment as if I fall I may not be able to get up , 2 of my elderly neighbours waited 13 hours for an ambulance

[CDreamer]

Good idea in theory BUT - medical insurance does not normally cover routine consultations and tests for chronic conditions. If you have an exacerbation of a condition, then they will normally cover the costs but to have cover for an existing condition there may well be an extra cost. Look at the small print carefully. There is often a charge each year, similar to car insurance, where you have to pay the 1st £200-300 of any claims.

My private insurance covers GP virtual consults, which was useful over a holiday period when I couldn’t get a GP appointment for over 3 weeks over Christmas period.

If you haven’t yet had osteoarthritis diagnosed I would sign up before you have a diagnosis but they may well increase premium for your AF.

Depending upon the company, I would expect to pay £200-300/ month for over 70 but location can make a difference - London being more expensive.

I am lucky in that my company continue to pay for mine in retirement but they keep changing the company - so far we’ve had BUPA (most expensive but good cover) Vitality - great for the younger, fitter generation and all the stuff such as dentistry, maternity etc. and AXA whom I like least but I am dealing with them at the moment on a claim and they seem to be efficient.

Our friend, a GP suggested some years ago that we would be far better off saving the money you would pay for insurance in a savings account where it would pay interest! Good advice for the younger ones!

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to CDreamer]

Hi

I told that to a young 42 year old for life Isurance.

But

within weeks of saying that her estranged boyfriend and father to her little boy then took them including her daughter for a picnic a few miles down the road. He was driving her ute. She was in the passenger seat, boy strapped in behind Dad, girl behind her in belt as she was. One Airbag for the driver. I spoke to her in the morning before she left.

Well, she died in the accident, girl brain damaged but making in out in the working world.

It was horrific and the Life Insurance helped.

Never again will I suggest anything like that again.

Insurance Companies make money on 'nothing happening'.

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)

[CDreamer in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

The question was about private health insurance, not life insurance.

[JOY2THEWORLD49 in reply to CDreamer]

Hi

I was just demonstrating that ANY INSURANCE WHETHER MEDICAL, LIFE, CAR OR HOUSE you pay premiums because of the risk. Change from endowment to premium paid yearly and reassessed gave these companies to cancel at any time or end of each year.

I had a work insurance which was paid yearly but when I broke my windsceen and had to drive home I got a chill in optic nerve. It was guessed differently because of loss of a stable vision into a possible brain tumour. The wait was 3 months and meantime the cover of me was cancelled.

It turned out to be a chill or inflammation of optic nerve, which after 3 changes in lenses, returned to behaving itself.

Even the permanence of stable monthly premium in any one year is a risk that they might not keep insuring you the following year.

Insure your home as your greatest assets IN CASE it burns down, floods out, something falls on it - a truck in the Wellington news, a plane, another house, or earthquake or war damage etc

INSURANCE is to pay out if event happens and prevents a monetary risk loss.

cherio JOY

[pusillanimous in reply to CDreamer]

In South Africa we have Medical Aid Societies which the Government is desperately trying to abolish because of their elitist status - not everyone can afford them and not every employer pays for their employees to belong.But the law states there can be no discrimnation regarding who joins, age included (it's going to take a long time to abolish them as there is so much oposition). They are not Insurance, they are non profit making Societies. Unfortunately so many people cannot grasp the difference, so I hope you will forgive me for adding this explanation to your response regarding health and life insurance ! I think the difficulty people have is because the same doctors who work for the NHS also do private consulatations. Here in SA the only medical personnel employed by the government are those who work in Public hospitals and primary care clinics, all others are private with no support from the government. This includes radiology and pathology practices and ambulance services and dentists The cost of public healthcare comes from general taxes. For those who can afford the subscriptions it works well, you can see GP and have all the tests and referrals done the same day, although you may have to wait a couple of weeks to see a specialist. Doctors need patients to survive and patients need doctors. The number of private hospitals, fully equipped is greater than those of prublic hospitals. I hope you will excuse me for butting in, I just thought it was important to show that not all private medicine is outrageously expensive and bad.

[CDreamer in reply to pusillanimous]

I had occasion to use the SA medical system on a visit in 1998 and was very impressed with it and I do get the difference between Medical Aid Societies, thank you for explaining. I was commenting on the pros and cons of taking out private health insurance in the UK system which is now dominated by a few very large insurance companies.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could take the best of all of the different systems in every country so that we could make healthcare affordable for all?

[pusillanimous in reply to CDreamer]

No, I was not suggesting that you personally did not understand the difference, but I do think a lot of people don't - even here there are insurance companies selling cheap packages that some people do not realise are not the same as Medical Aid Societies. I agree it be wonderful if the best of all the health systems could be taken by every country for the benefit of everyone! I do actually deplore the system where a practitioner can be half in, half out - either they work for the public system or they are private practitioners.Thank you for taking the time to read my waffle!

[Mrsvemb]

I am on a continuation of my late husbands company scheme which has previous medical history disregarded. The majority of policies will exclude pre existing conditions which would be of no use to you. So the AF will be excluded.

The only way that you will get the AF and osteoarthritis covered is if you get a policy with previous medical history disregarded, which is unlikely. That should be the first question to ask.

You would still wait 13 hours for an ambulance if you fell because there is no cover for calling an ambulance or emergency care. I think one or two London private hospitals may have an accident department, but this is rare. You need to go into this very carefully.

I am sorry to sound negative, but I am just trying to point out the reality. It could be costly, then turn out to not cover the things you most need.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

I would say that unfortunately you are too late.

Any supposively 'new' conditions will be researches back to ant consultations you have had with nurses, dr, Specialists.

Pity but there you go. Also at 70 your premius will be very high.

cherio JOY. 75. (NZ)

[01maxdog]

thank you , I think I’ll spend the money on a cruise instead