Private Health Insurance Guide

Small Firms Kept in Dark Over Corporate Healthcare

Small firms in the UK are losing out as it has been discovered that almost 25 per cent of SME businesses have never heard of group income protection products.  Legal & General carried out the survey and a further two fifths of those surveyed had heard if IP but hadn’t familiarised themselves with what products could be obtained.

L&G had warned that a continued lack of awareness of these programmes could be hampering company’s absence management schemes and could potentially damage income and company resource.   It is rather surprising and a little worrying that smaller businesses aren’t taking full advantage of corporate healthcare schemes like IP and can really hamper the productivity of a smaller company and would have a more noticeable knock-on effect.

Larger companies are more inclined to educate and inform their staff on matters such as health benefits, wellbeing schemes and suchlike.  The numbers of large companies offering things like weight watchers, gym memberships and medical insurance is on the rise and is very much within the fabric of many big businesses across the UK. 

It is plainly clear that in order to sustain good small business absence records then informing staff about IP products can be a stepping stone to that.  Providing good quality support in the workplace can be invaluable to employees.

 

GPs still have strong concerns over NHS reforms

Over a third of GPs are concerned that the NHS reforms will destroy the health service in the UK.  Doctors continue to have strong fears of what will happen to healthcare in the UK as a result of the NHS reforms taking place.  Following the Government’s listening exercise around the reforms, the number of concerned GPs has reduced from 51% to 32%; however this is still a substantial number of GPs who have major concerns over the whole process.

There are strong fears over whether GPs will be able to implement the changes to the commissioning landscape.  Over a quarter of those surveyed believed they weren’t equipped to handle the clinical commissioning and for the reforms to work, significant training would need to be provided for doctors to adapt. 

There are continued fears from GPs that believe the reform will negatively impact their working lives, something that has not been dealt with since the some of the original documentation.  27% believe that their workload will increase because of the changes while 23% believe that it will result in increased stress for doctors.  Very few think that patient care will improve because of the changes, something that the Government believes the reforms will help to achieve. 

Fears exist that because of the harsh cuts the NHS is required to face in terms of efficiency savings, the future of some services will not be available and people will only have access to these through health insurance providers and other specialists.  GPs believe that the NHS would not be able to deliver services for ME, chronic fatigue, infertility and food allergies.  It was highlighted that progress is being made in areas such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and strokes.  GPs believe however that services focusing on issues such as stress, alcoholism and drug abuse, mental health issues and obesity are poor, even though these conditions are increasing.  

 

Regulator NICE Turns Down Breast Cancer Drugs

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has turned down the opportunity to use two new treatments for breast cancer within the NHS it has been revealed.  NICE have turned down the opportunity to use lapatinib and trastuzumab within a hormone therapy named aromatase inhibitors for a particular type and stage of breast cancer.

The regulator’s reasoning was it was unclear how much either of the drugs could improve the disease compared to the existing drugs that were on the market at the moment.  As is always a factor, NICE also stated that they do not represent value for money for the NHS.  NICE are currently in motion to draw up guidelines using the drugs as a “front line” measure to delay the progression of cancerous cells elsewhere in the body.

It is unknown if the private medical insurance industry have decided upon taking these particular types of medicines but would be more likely to partake.  NICE are quite notorious for trying to put cost cutting measures before healthcare and could be detrimental to the nations progressing health.  In the US it would be unheard of to turn down potentially lifesaving drugs, more so because of it being such a privatised health service.

 

Waiting lists increase -

According to the latest figures, NHS waiting times have increased - by 6% - for routine surgery - and more people are waiting upwards of six months for their operations. Standard procedures such as hernia and gallstone operations, and also knee replacements, are among the procedures that patients are now waiting longer to undergo.

And while the waiting times for elective procedures have lengthened, The Guardian reports that, during the same period the number of actual procedures carried out  fell by 4.6% - "the second successive year those trends have been seen".

In its guide to waiting times, the NHS Choices website states that "you have the right to access services within maximum waiting times". In consumer guide Which's overview of PMI, it states that one o fthe main reasons people choose private medical insurance is "to avoid NHS waiting lists and receive fast-track consultations and private treatment for short-term, curable medical problems"

How the current situation regarding waiting times will work out is, for the time being at least, anyone's guess. The health secretary has defended the government's record, saying that, in fact, the waiting lists aren't all bad news: "There are fewer patients than ever waiting a long time for treatment . The number of people waiting over a year for treatment has reduced by two-thirds since we came into office and the average time patients have to wait for treatment is at the same level as two years ago".

Corporate Healthcare: Is the FIT Note Working?

Over 50 per cent of those on incapacity benefits who have since been reassessed by the government have since been deemed to be fit for work.  The Department for Work and Pensions have released figures which showed that those who had received an initial assessment found to be able for some form of work; this figure was around 53 per cent.

An additional 19 per cent were thought to be fit for some work with the appropriate levels of assistance and the remaining 27 per cent were found to have limited capability and were likely candidates for the benefits.  Those that were able to work were moved to Job Seekers Allowance and those who could only partially carry out tasks were placed in the Work Related Activity Group. 

This all means that companies are losing out on turnover and the state is paying for those not working.  Many companies will also be losing out on their corporate healthcare packages as the number of claimants could affect future premiums.  Assessors need to start looking at the potential to get back into work rather than the limitations that someone may face.

It was thought the recent changes to the sickness procedures would see an improvement to the numbers of people taking more time off than is required.  The introduction of the FIT note was to improve the numbers getting back into work – phased in gradually until a doctor sees fit to allow the employee to go back to work full time.

 

Related articles

• Third of incapacity benefit claimants ruled fit to work - The Guardian (guardian.co.uk)

Employers Pushing Benefits Schemes

Many employers are trying to tempt employees with benefits schemes as the levels at which pay increases are not sufficient enough.  The survey was carried out by Aon Hewitt and found that more employers are pushing incentives like group health, employee assistance programmes and gym memberships.

The survey found that the increase in money over the last six months remained unchanged for the last two business quarters at 3.2 per cent.  Although the increase is above what the countries inflation was during the same six month period.  The Customer Prices Index hit a high of 5.2 per cent by September last year although this was lower than the current CPI rate of 3.6 per cent.

Many companies are still trying work through challenges that the current recession is providing and this means companies are no longer able to provide the salary inflations that were the norm.  By incentivising staff to join group health schemes and providing gym memberships they feel that their staff will feel better about themselves in the long run and feel the benefits, albeit not financially.

It was noted in the survey that there has become a growing feeling amongst employers the inflation rates would take a tumble, all with the exception of the UK.  It was thought that salary increase budgets were slightly higher across Western Europe also.

 

Health-on-Line Vows Fresh Thinking Moving Forward

Bournemouth based company Health-on-Line has announced that they have been acquired by AXA PPP healthcare and with this vow to offer their customers and would-be customers a better, fresher means to health insurance.  The insurer will offer cheaper, comprehendible health insurance policies that can be amended to all levels of cover and will also offer extra types of cover to ensure the needs of their customers are met.

Health-on-Line has taken a new approach to an otherwise expensive industry.  They wish to make the cost of cover less and allow people to have a clear and concise view of what they are doing in their field.  They have taken steps which will allow them to offer a competitive rate whilst still maintaining their exemplary standard of customer service.

The partnership between AXA PPP and Health-on-Line will be born out and enriched by the formers 70 years experience in the health insurance market.  Health-on-Line’s customers will benefit from AXA PPP’s many services including their 24 hour helpline, Health at Hand.  Help will be on hand to deal with claims and any policy queries as well as important medical information.

The insurer works alongside over 15,000 clinicians with a wide variety of specialties and also uses the most carefully selected hospitals so that their patients have the confidence that they are well served in the best care environments available.

 

Related articles

• Financial power now rests with mum (healthinsurance-advice.co.uk)

Choosing the Correct PMI

Choosing a private medical insurance policy can be a pain.  Whether it is a renewal for an existing policy or looking at changing your PMI provider or you are a complete novice looking to take out medical insurance for the first time, there are creases to iron with regards to obtaining as much information as possible and making an informed decision.  With this quick guide hopefully the muddied waters may come a little clearer when you have to compare health plans.  Here are three quick points in order to help you out with your next medical insurance

decision.

Why PMI?

The UK is one of the very few places in the world that has a free health service.  Which begs the question; why would anyone wish to pay for health cover?  Well, it seems a growing number of people are worried about things such as MRSA, the cleanliness standard of the NHS hospitals as well as the constantly topical, waiting lists.

How PMI Works

PMI involves paying an insurer a premium each month.  This amount depends on the level of cover that you wish to have.  You will also have access to medical treatment when and where you need it, avoiding NHS waiting lists, convenient more still as you will able to choose when your surgery will take place, allowing you to plan ahead.

What Does Your Policy Cover?

Different companies offer different levels of cover.  PMI is designed so that the care you receive will be undertaken in a private hospital, or alternatively, a private NHS bed.  It was originally designed for short-term curable medical problems although there has since been progression in the form of AXA PPP’s heart and cancer campaign.   Most insurers won’t cover you for long term treatments such as kidney dialysis or other illnesses like asthma.  Other insurers will cover you once you have to wait longer than a six week period on the NHS and some are designed specifically for over 55’s.  

Privatisation Beckons for NHS

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 19: Prime Minister David Cameron (L) sits next to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley at 10 Downing Street during a meeting with health professionals on April 19, 2011 in London, England. This is one of a number of meetings taking place to discuss the changes to the National Health Service. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

As the Health and Social Care bill has now been passed through the houses in Parliament and is now law it seems like the one thing that many said would happen looks like it may have made progress. 

Many feared that hospitals would become privatised by parts of the NHS being sold off to make the Trusts some money.  It looks like the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton has gone just that way.  There are negotiations happening that seem to be heavily in the favour that it will sold off as there are many interested parties circling like vultures to make an offer.

There are those that support these moves, with many believing that by privatising parts of the NHS it will create better competition and therefore better quality in our hospitals.  Many enjoy the benefits of PMI providers such as small businesses health insurance firms where they can enjoy knowing that they would get great coverage and all through their employee benefits schemes.

In addition to the Warwickshire based hospital there are more Trust hospitals looking to become private.  Burton Hospital, South Warwickshire and the Dudley Group trusts are taking meetings with stakeholders over the coming weeks to decide what the best for their hospitals is.

Whilst many are fretting over the possibility that many more parts of the NHS are due to become privatised the government have taken measures to prevent that from happening.  They will be creating an economic regulator which will be introduced to prevent anti competitive behaviours and this will hopefully provide a level state of play between private and public companies.

 

Health-on-line release new blog

A new blog has been released by the guys over at Health-on-line.co.uk that is going to focus on the different health apps available to smartphone users separating the good from the bad and the downright ugly.  They will be using a team of resident health experts to determine which apps provide the best advice and information for the user that focus on a broad range of health issues as well as other medical and fitness apps for both Android and iPhone users.

The blog will also be focusing on issues around medical health insurance and the different products the organisation offers and we feel it is definitely one to watch in the upcoming months.  Have a look at the blog yourself over at www.health-on-line.co.uk/blog.

One of the main things we like the sound of with this blog is the fact that the information provided won’t be full of jargon and acronyms – the blog should make a nice refreshing change from the rest of the stuffy and sometimes confusing blogs and sites dealing with medical insurance issues.