Uk private health insurance - worth it or not?

[loadsofissues]

I've not actually been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos but I matched the symptoms myself. Private health insurance don't cover current conditions but do you think they would if Gp fails to diagnose or refer to specialist until after I take out the policy.

[Hidden]

I was diagnosed privately I went to my gp and she referred me to a specialist. If you talk to your gp and asked to be referred privately they will do that for you. Hope that helps! Any questions let me know

[loadsofissues in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Christina11 - did you use a insurance policy to pay or are you just paying the specialist - have you had any good help with your condition? What sort of thing is the private specialist doing for you? Today I talked to my Gp about hyper-mobility - connective tissue disorder and the fact i was thinking of getting health insurance as a private podiatry service pointed out the extent of my hyper extended knees, feet and toes - i could feel my knees are going backwards and i was getting a lot of pain/swelling recently but I had no idea my feet have become so flat and the damage this is causing in my pelvic/hips/knees/ankles and how this is effecting my whole gait and the muscles. The Gp got me thinking that the policy was not worth it when you add up the cost against paying privately for podiatry and physio. The Gp has now referred me to nhs podiatry. Hope I don't have to wait to long!!!

[Hidden in reply to loadsofissues]

I used an insurance policy to pay for it as the GP was not helping so I thought seeing a specialist privately would help. I had physio to help but only 6 sessions, after the 6 sessions I didn't carry on. Personally for me all I needed was a diagnosis because it got to the point where I thought it was in my head and no one believed me and I just needed someone to say 'this is what you have and that is why you are feeling like this'. Now that I know why I feel like this I kind of deal with it by myself so that's why I didn't carry on with physio, but saying that it did help me. The private specialist doesn't do anything for me now, she has given me her email and number if I have any questions to go and see her, which I have a couple of times to ask some questions but other than that I don't speak to her or see her on a regular basis. I think start off with podiatry and see what they say if you don't get an answers as to what is going on then I would recommend just going privately and seeing the specialist. Because the GP actually told me not to go private but I insisted because they weren't doing anything and I finally got my diagnosis. If your willing to pay and get it done quickly then I do think that is the better option!!

[loadsofissues in reply to Hidden]

i won't get covered by private insurance now as it will be classed as a previous condition . it looks like I will have to just accept the condition - even if i had of waited until i took a private insurance there is nothing anyone in the world can do to help!!! I don't want a life of taking steroids or pain killers from a private specialist or nhs. If the nhs podiatry and physio don't help or the wait is to long I always have the option to pay for the private podiatry and physio and it's not that much. The private insurance policy only offer 10 sessions in a year any way and to pay for a private physio it's about £45 a session. I don't think the Insurance pay for insoles so the health policy wouldn't save me any money at £50 a month approx.

[Hidden in reply to loadsofissues]

Yeah unfortunately there isn't much help out there!! Hopefully the podiatry will go well and give you the help that you need! Fingers crossed

[loadsofissues in reply to Hidden]

would you know if podiatry would be covered on private insurance

[Hidden in reply to loadsofissues]

I'm not too sure I think it's best if you ring them and ask, if your diagnosed with condition it could potentially be covered but I'm not 100% sure.