What Are The Benefits of Private Medical Insurance?
Private health cover can give you fast access to medical treatment if you were to fall ill or sustain an injury. You won’t have to rely on NHS waiting times and you’ll have a wider choice in how you are treated. In this blog, we look at the benefits of private medical insurance and how this policy works.
Long-term illness has increased
Data from the Office of National Statistics reports that 400,000 more people are out of work because of a long-term illness since the pandemic. Their research shows that 2.5 million people in the UK are considered ‘economically inactive’ because of long-term sickness.
In everyday life, most of us will experience periods of sickness and ill health. However, if you are forced to take time off work due to a long-term illness or injury, the quicker you are seen the better. Private medical insurance enables you to receive medical treatment much faster than waiting to be seen by an NHS health practitioner.
According to the NHS, the maximum waiting time for non-urgent, consultant-led treatments is 18 weeks. For some conditions, such as cancer referrals, the waiting time should be less than 28 days. However, many NHS hospitals and clinics are under pressure and struggling to meet target waiting times. Private health insurance enables you to bypass NHS waiting lists.
What does Private Medical Insurance cover?
Private medical insurance pays some or all of your medical bills when you receive treatment. If you were to use private healthcare without this type of policy, it can be very expensive. The level of cover varies and will depend on the policy and the provider. Most policies have an excess, so you might have to pay the first £100 or more towards your treatment.
A basic private health policy usually covers the cost of most in-patient treatments, medical tests, scans and surgery. In many cases, the entire healthcare journey is covered, from the initial consultation and diagnostic scans to surgery and follow-up appointments. Private medical insurance can also cover day care and some outpatient treatments, for example, specialist consultants.
It’s important to review the terms and conditions of a private health policy thoroughly before purchasing to fully understand all the benefits it offers. There may be certain health issues that are not covered, including chronic and pre-existing medical conditions. Organ transplants are also not usually included, along with HIV, diabetes, epilepsy and high-blood pressure (hypertension) related illnesses.
Get Private Health Insurance
Private medical insurance has many benefits for couples and families. From the ability to be fast-tracked for medical treatment to greater choices for appointment timings, a private health policy is worth considering.
At Bubble Finance Hub, our experienced insurance advisers can explain how private medical insurance works. We will check the terms of the policy, so you are aware of which health conditions, illnesses, and injuries are covered. Our team will find the right private health cover for you and your family at a cost you’re happy with.
If you’re interested in private medical insurance, get in touch to book an appointment.
As with all insurance policies, conditions and exclusions will apply.
Thank you for reading our blog, What Are The Benefits of Private Medical Insurance?
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