Private Health Insurance Guide

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".

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)

Workplace health and office romance

A timely post over at Personnel Today - given that it's February 14th, and Saint Valentine is responsible for a good percentage of today's Royal Mail -delivered envelopes. (None through my door, unfortunately. Not yet anyway...)

The article in Personnel Today focuses on recent survey findings that indicate that relationships in the workplace are no simple matter, with some organisations banning relationships between employees who work in the same team - while others prohibit managers and subordinates from becoming involved.

However, if you're the romantic type there's maybe some encouraging news according to the article: "the most common response among employers learning of relationships between colleagues was to take no action at all."

What's your opinion - do you think management should have a policy in place for dealing with relationships in the workplace, or should workplace health and wellbeing concentrate more on helping individual employees achieve the best performance?

 

Health insurance at the Moneyfacts Consumer Awards

Last week at the HAC in London, the Moneyfacts Consumer Awards took place - with some of the leading personal financial services providers and utility companies scooping awards across a broad set of categories. From Remortgage Buyers' Choice to Best Current Account Provider, all the most important areas were represented with one winner for each category.

Moneyfacts' method of determining the winners for each category is as thorough as it is fair, with the comparison site surveying extensively (and sifting through half a million answers) plus carrying out independent technical product analysis - ensuring that the awards have a real basis in quality and customer satisfaction.

And the winner of Best Health Insurance Provider? AXA PPP healthcare - a private medical insurance provider who have made some news recently with their enhanced heart and cancer cover which is part of their ongoing 'heart and cancer commitment'.

 

NHS Patients Meals Cost Just £1.70

Patients at some NHS trusts up and down the country are being served meals that cost just £1.70 per meal according to new published figures.

This has come on the back of growing concerns about the lack of nutrition in Britains wards.  It is thought one in ten trusts across the country spend less than £5 per day on breakfast, lunch and dinner for each of the patients in their care.

Of those it was seen that Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust spent just £2.57 per day (86p per meal).  The was by far the least amount spent per meal in the country as discovered by the NHS Information Centre.

It has become a concern for everybody concerned because patients require the maximum amount of nutrition in order to aid them getting better, especially older patients.  It is widely felt that action needs to be taken immediately in order to right some of these wrongs.

The Government has already proposed that meals with reduced salt, sugar and fat content and replace that with fruit, vegetables, fibres and oily fish to aid patients patients recovery and make sure the correct nutrients are being provided.

In addition local trusts are trying to source stock local suppliers so that the costs are still kept down but the freshness of the foods are there too.

 

The American Health Insurance Problem

The American political scene is busy at the moment with many potential presidential candidates trying to make their case for election.

High on the agenda is the health insurance issue, with Mitt Romney subtly referring to this rather contentious issue when he claimed that he “liked being able to fire people who provide services to me”.

Unfortunately this is just not an option for the large number of Americans who receive their health insurance cover through their job. Around 45% of the population receive their medical insurance through work and very few actually have a choice of provider.

Some employers provide a couple of options for staff but it’s a long way from the freedom people have in the UK when selecting a private health insurance policy. As it stands the majority of employees need to take what’s on offer when they start their job.

The issue can be traced back to the Second World War, where the tax on employee benefits was removed. This incentivises businesses to increase employee benefits packages, which has led to a continual growth of the amount spent on healthcare in the USA.

Many people change jobs frequently, and so are not tied to a single policy or insurer for long. For the sake of convenience many simply take what is provided rather than take the time to find a private policy.

 

Talk to Me: Talking Plate Taking on Obesity

A "talking plate" developed in Sweden informing people how quickly to eat their food is due to be implemented by the NHS, in a measure to tackle obesity.

The Mandometer plate, which costs a cool £1,500, measures how quickly someone's food is leaving the plate and informs the "user" by speaking to them, advising if they are eating too quickly if food is being consumed far too quickly.

Bosses at the NHS are to trial the revolutionary product to see if in fact it can change dietary patterns and help overweight families.  Health experts have said that when people eat more slowly, they are more likely to feel full, assisting them to eat less and therefore shed weight.

The study will be carried out by Bristol University and will involve 600 families, each with an overweight parent and child.

The Mandometer also helps people who suffer from bulimia and anorexia, allowing them to weigh their plate and measure the rate at which someone who would be underweight takes on food and in time would return to normal eating behaviours.

The Mandometer webpage claims the success rate is 75% of people who go into full remission are free from all eating disorders and 90% of people of individuals who go into remission do not relapse.

It seems like an interesting method of tackling obesity and may split opinion but does certianly give food for thought.......

Below is a descriptional video of how it works.