The insurers say “We can no longer depend on the NHS”. NHSreality agrees….

Much as I wish for a reliable and National health service, this looks more and more like a dream – that has turned into a nightmare. My wife and I did have Pruvate Medical Insurance (PMI) until we reached 70 years old, when it became prohibitively expensive. If we forget the cancer therapies, most of which were excluded anyway by the policy, we can save neough for a joint replacement in a couple of years. We realise that in this we are luckier than most, and gthat some people may have to remortgage to get out of pain. Nevertheless, its worth it if you prevent or delay the diseases of inactivity. Heart, Diabetes and Arthritis etc. Some commissioners are using private hospitals in their own regions or nearby. The rewards are not only shorter waiting lists bit also reduced cross infections, as the private hospitals are like cold or planned orthopaedic centres. The two tier service is set to expand, so those who are young enough and can afford it should buy PMI. The Dental service is already degenerated so that adults find it hard to find state supported care, especially from a UK trained dental surgeon. Private plans fluorish. This is the forseeable future for primary care, with a 10-15 year shortage of diagnosticians…

Heather Blackmore for “Healthwindow”, anIndustry site for Private Medical Insurance, on 19th Jan 2022 writes: Why You Should Get Private Medical Insurance

We can no longer depend on the NHS

NHS data shows that 5.99 million people are now on the waiting list for routine treatment – the highest number ever recorded. The figure has increased every month since May 2020, when it was 3.83 million people. It means the number of people having to wait longer than 52 weeks to start treatment is around 35 times higher than those waiting a year earlier.

The new health secretary Sajid Javid told the Sunday Telegraph he was “shocked” when officials warned him that the backlog could reach 13 million patients.

The pressures on the NHS due to the pandemic are very severe, with leading charity The British Heart Foundation finding that nearly half of heart patients found it harder to get medical treatment during the lockdown. Heart and circulatory diseases are a major cause of death in the UK, with more than 160,000 deaths each year.

Even with huge efforts, the reality is that longer waiting times for treatment are likely to be a feature of the NHS for several years at least.

Protect yourself and your family

With a PMI policy in-place you’ll have priority access to expert private medical help should you need it; and depending upon the terms of your policy, the main costs of your treatment will be covered. Whilst the NHS does an amazing job, queues are inevitable for all but the most acute medical emergencies, and PMI policies are often taken to avoid those queues in the future. Learn more here about treatments and plans for private health insurance.

NHS average waiting times BEFORE covid-19 and typical cost of private treatment

Find your medical cover

But I’m healthy, so why would I need Private Medical Insurance?

A PMI policy, like all insurance policies, is your protection against the future and not the present. There’s no better time to take PMI than when you’re healthy – if you wait to become sick it may be too late. Most policies won’t cover pre-existing conditions that you’ve suffered in the 5 years prior to taking your policy – so getting cover while you’re feeling fit and healthy is an effective way to lock-in your good health.

Here’s how you do it

Step 1: Select your country on the map below to get started.

Step 2: Answer a few simple questions to get your FREE quote.

Find your medical cover

What are the top treatments claimed for?

To give you an indication of the treatments private health insurance is used for, the greatest number of claims Bupa received in 2017 were as follows:

1. Musculoskeletal problems (eg, back or neck pain)
2. Digestive system conditions (eg, gastroenteritis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome)
3. Eye and ear conditions (eg, labyrinthitis – an inner ear imbalance)
4. Cancer
5. Heart and circulatory diseases (eg, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia – an abnormal heart rhythm)

NHSreality posts on PMI

NHSreality posts on Waiting Lists

NHSreality posts on a “two tier” system

NHSreality reminds readers what Aneurin Bevan wanted in 1948

NHSreality posts on Dental Care