The Cheapest Health Insurance

With many families still feeling the pinch of the recession cheap health insurance is something that they are still interested in. In order to find good deals and quicly compare what is available the best way forward is to look on comparison sites such as comparethemarket.com or moneysupermarket.com.

Not all sites carry policies from all providers however so it is worth looking at all available comparison sites to see what there is. With moneysupermarket.com for example Freedom Healthnet provides the cheapest health insurance at £17.98 a month for a 40 year old, non-smoking, man living in Northampton to have Freedom Gold Inpatient medical insurance. Comparethemarket.com however does not use Freedom Healthnet at all.

The advantage of looking on comparison sites is that you can compare like for like policies quickly and easily. Health insurance policies are getting better but they are legal documents which can be quite complicated and detailed.

An alternative method when you are looking for cheap health insurance is to go online to each company and look at what they quote you. It is important to be honest at this stage when you answer questions online so that you get a realistic quotation. Private medical insurance companies will need to ask you several questions online so that they can give you an accurate quote:

• Your age
• Your sex
• Where you live
• Whether you smoke

Some companies also ask you about medical conditions you may have, for example, if you are diabetic. Looking online will enable you to look at each companies documents in order to assess what cover you might need.

The disadvantage of online quotes is that they cannot be totally accurate. On the whole they do not take account of your medical or family history for example, all of which will affect your cover.

Some companies, for example, Bupa, are unwilling to give online quotes as they say that talking to people individually is a better way to assess their needs and therefore to give them an accurate quote.

An alternative way of looking for cheap health insurance is to go to an independent advisor. However bare in mind that they take commission from health insurance companies for selling their policies. Additionally not all independent advisors will know about every policy.

Conservative Promises

The current political climate means that all parties are talking about what they want to do with the NHS.

If the conservatives win the election they have promised to allow any healthcare provider that meets NHS standards to provide NHS care. Currently NHS patients are sometimes treated in private health establishments but under a conservative parliament more NHS patients will be treated in the same places as health insurance customers. This raises questions about whether there needs to be a different kind of provision for medical insurance patients.

Ramsay Health Care, the private hospital operator has already implemented changes. NHS patients only receive an 'Essential Care' package whereas their 'Premium Care' package for private clients includes more luxurious treatment including a choice of consultant, ability to choice an appointment day and time as well as better hotel services such as newspapers and an a la carte menu. According to Ramsay Health Care, the Premier package is there to:

'Ensure that private patients continue to see a clear, fair and distinct benefit from their investment.'

It is unclear whether private patients will be happy to be treated in the same place as NHS patients. So far the answer is 'no'. Additionally it is likely that people will be more reluctant to take out health insurance if they know they can be treated well and more promptly in private hospitals via the NHS, particularly as the conservatives want to give people more choice as to where they are treated. This will impact on medical insurance providers who in turn will put pressure on health establishments to create a more differentiated health care offering.

The likelihood is that more and more private hospitals will begin to differentiate between luxurious private treatment and standard NHS care. It is also likely that more private hospitals that are only designated to treat NHS patients will open up, leaving traditional private hospitals to cater for health insurance patients and privately paying individuals.

The conservatives have also promised to give people access to a GP seven days a week between the hours of 8am and 8pm. They have also pledged to increase single rooms in hospitals although they have retreated on their original promise of 45,000 new rooms.

Health Cover Survey

According to Deloitte's 2010 Survey of Health Care Consumers only a quarter of respondents said they felt they had enough health cover: four out of five said they were only 'adequately insured.'

The Deloitte survey looked at 1,000 British adults in order to find out consumer attitudes about both private and NHS medical treatment. Over a third of respondents said that they had cash plan cover but despite people's dissatisfaction with the amount of cover they had only 2% had switched private health insurance plans. 58% of those who had changed plan did so to get better value for money.

One of the biggest complaints about medical insurance was the fact that 'experimental' treatments were not covered. Experimental treatments refer to those that do not yet have enough data behind them to certify them as conclusively effective. PruHealth, for example, do cover experimental treatments as part of their plans. This is unusual however. 69% of respondents said that they would be prepared to try experimental treatments.

The findings seem to support the health insurance market's move towards illness prevention. Over half of respondents said they had a 'strong interest' in taking part in wellness programmes and 49% said they would take part in healthy living programmes if they could get reduced private medical insurance.

NHS
The NHS didn't fair too badly in the Deloitte survey. 67% of respondents said that they were 'happy' with the NHS. 50% said that it was 'average', a fifth said that it was 'failing' but only 2% said that it was excellent. The most dissatisfaction concerned waiting times which 46% of respondents felt was 'poor' and the amount of accessible information about doctor's performance where 42% felt that it was poor.

PruHealth Cuts Gym Perks

PruHealth have a unique selling point - they offer gym membership as an incentive for people to buy their health insurance. This is appears to be a great bonus for their customers. However since its introduction in 2007 member benefits have been on the decrease and now this appealing incentive has been cut down again.

Initially customers who used the gym several times a week could receive free membership. Then last year gym membership could be offset with Vitality points. PruHealth awards points for a number of things including: living healthily and having health screening. The points can be traded for cheaper gym membership. Those with a Premium health insurance policy can still have free membership.

At the end of last year PruHealth wrote to policy holders to let them know that at their next health insurance renewal they would only be able to get a 25% discount on their gym membership.

Dave Priestly, PruHealth sales director said:

'If we were to keep the gym offer unchanged, premiums for all PruHealth members would go up by between 5% and 15% depending on the policy, the policyholder's personal circumstances and their level of engagement in our range of health and wellbeing activities. And this figure would again increase year on year to allow for age and medical inflation changes.'

Talking to The Guardian, Gerry Elias, who has a PruHealth private medical insurance policy said:

'I am exasperated that they are again moving the goalposts on gym membership fees and, in doing so, abandoning their fundamental marketing position – the more you visit the gym, the lower fees you will pay because you should be healthier and therefore a lesser claim risk.

'[The latest change] will mean an extra £540 a year for me, which isn't a paltry amount by any measure.'

The medical insurance market was hit hard by the downturn in the economy last year. Improvements in medical health care and the resultant increase in costs also creates a problem for health insurance companies who have to pass the load on by increasing premiums or offering less comprehensive medical insurance packages.

Health Insurance and Alcohol

As a nation our alcohol consumption is increasing and as a result so are alcohol related health conditions. Unfortunately medical insurance does not cover alcohol abuse and one of the questions you are asked when you take out a policy is how many units you consume in a week.

According to the National Office of Statistics alcohol related deaths have more than doubled since 1992 to a staggering 9,031 deaths a year last year.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of the charity Drinkaware said:

'It's shocking to discover that alcohol-related deaths are again on the increase, and it's vital now, more than ever, that we act to reduce the harms caused by drinking too much.

'With more and more people dying from alcohol misuse it's essential we change people's relationship with drinking, and education has a key role to play.

'Male alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled in the last 17 years, but women also need to vigilant.

'Regularly exceeding the daily unit guidelines can increase everyone's chances of developing liver damage, heart disease and some cancers.'

It makes sense to think that health insurance companies would increase premiums for heavy drinkers. The link between some cancers and heavy drinking is well known. The health limit for men is currently 3-4 units and for women it is 2-3 units a day.

Medical insurance companies do not provide cover for alcohol abuse. However, where is the line drawn between drinking above the safe limit and alcohol abuse?

A report from Alcohol Concern, details the different aspects involved in alcohol consumption and health insurance. According to Alcohol Concern drinking alone is not taken as a factor which will determine whether your premiums are increased or whether you are in fact refused cover. Other lifestyle and health factors need to be taken into consideration.

Alcohol Concern think that GP's underestimate levels of alcohol consumption. Sometimes GP's are asked to fill out forms when someone is applying for health insurance or making a claim. One of the questions they are asked specifically refers to 'conditions related to drug or alcohol misuse.' Alcohol Concern imply that higher premiums for heavy drinking do not necessarily apply as the insurance industry needs to be competitive as well as taking into account higher risks.

Despite the points raised by Alcohol Concern, if you take out a policy and lie on the application form about how much you drink, any details that are then uncovered by your GP that are related to a current health complaint may null and void your policy.

The advice is to disclose all details to your health insurance company. They can then make the decision about your policy. Lying may reduce a premium but won't pay off in the end when you are not covered for that all important procedure or operation after you have spent all those months paying into your policy.

Drinkaware provide

Comparing Health Insurance Costs

The cost of health insurance varies greatly from provider to provider. A lot depends on what the policy is offering. Generally the more a policy offers the more expensive it is. However finding the best private medical insurance for you is about finding a balance between what you can afford and what you would like to be covered for.

Comprehensive Family Health Insurance Comparison
A non-smoking couple (aged 28 & 30) with two children (2 & 7) wanted a £100 excess:

• £126.76 PRU Health Comprehensive
• £109.15 AXA Healthcover Deluxe
• £80.99 with Freedom Diamond Plus Medical Insurance (including therapies)

Mid Range Medical Insurance Comparison
Cover for 36 and 38 year old non-smoking couple:

• £100.49 BUPA Client Choice - £0 excess
• £89.87 AXA Healthcover Plus - £100 excess
• £59.17 with Freedom Gold Health Insurance (Inpatient & Outpatient) - £100 excess

Basic Health Insurance Comparison
Cover for two 33 year old married non-smokers

• £65.36 BUPA Client Choice - £250 excess
• 47.26 AXA Healthcover - £100 excess
• £28.19 with Freedom Diamond Health Insurance (Inpatient only) - £100 excess

As you can see from these comparisons Freedom Health Insurance provides the cheapest health insurance. They can provide lower costs because they work in a slightly different way than conventional private medical insurance. Freedom pay you cash for inpatient procedures so that you can use this money to pay for your own health care. This enables you to negotiate your treatment costs.

There have been several stories noting that health insurance companies pay more for operations and procedures than individuals who seek out private treatment.

Being paid cash directly from Freedom also means that you can choose to keep the money and be treated on the NHS if you are happy with the waiting time you are given. Some people even choose to have cheaper treatment abroad and combine this with a holiday.

It is important whenever you are purchasing health insurance that you research well and read the small print in the policy documents so that you are fully informed of the details of any policy.

Physiotherapy for Breast Cancer

As covered by Health Insurance News, medical insurance for cancer is varied. New evidence about a secondary complication of breast cancer and how easy it is to treat it highlights the gap that exists in the cancer health insurance market.

A report published in the British Medical Journal says that researchers in Madrid have found that early physiotherapy after breast cancer treatment helps women to avoid lymphodoedema.

Secondary lymphodoedema occurs when there has been damage to the lymphatic system either during surgery or radiotherapy. Lymph nodes are routinely removed by doctors if cancer cells have been found in the lymphatic system as this reduces reucurrence of breast cancer. However damage to lyphatic system around the underarm area means that fluid cannot be drained away effectively. Fluid accumulates and the arm can swell. This can become very uncomfortable and some women can suffer depression from the emotional aspects of their changed physique. The condition can be very difficult to treat once it sets in.

Early physiotherapy was found to help. In the Madrid study women where split into two groups. One group received educational information on how to care for themselves and prevent infection and the other group had physiotherapy in the form of manual lymph drainage, massage of scar tissue, and shoulder exercises.

16% of women developed secondary lymphoedema but only 7% of the women who received physiotherapy developed it compared to 25% of the women who only received educational information.

In the cancer health insurance sector definitions are vague. Normally when a patient moves into the chronic phase of an illness then they are no longer covered by their medical insurance company. Furthermore, once a cancer has been removed treatments designed for prevention are not covered. For example, Tamoxifen, which helps to prevent breast cancer, is not covered by private medical insurance.

AXA PPP Healthcare said that physiotherapy for breast cancer patients would be covered if a policy included an outpatient benefit only.

Principal clinical consultant at Aviva UK Health, Dr Doug Wright, said:

'Aviva keeps abreast of medical developments and research findings and has read the BMJ report with interest. Under our current terms, we do not pay for preventative treatment, we do however provide benefit for one short-term block manual lymphatic drainage in acute conditions of lymphoedema if this is recommended by the treating specialist.'

Medical insurance company, PruHealth offer a comprehensive policy which covers individuals for cancer all the way through to palliative care should this become necessary.

More Single Rooms

One of the things that people with health insurance enjoy most about private treatment is having the privacy of their own room when they have to go into hospital. The NHS have already started to pilot the introduction of single NHS rooms. The conservatives have recently claimed that if they get into power they intend to singnificantly increase single rooms within the NHS.

The Tory plans seem very ambitious considering the level of public debt that has to be repaid over the next few years. Spending plans in the NHS are likely to have to be reduced, not increased.

The plans to create an extra 45,000 single rooms in NHS hospitals has been estimated to cost £314m a year over five years but other estimates cost the changes at around £1,903m a year over the same period.

Although it has been shown that familiar company and communication with loved ones aids patient recovery, this does not apply to strangers on a ward. Being surrounded by strangers with only the privacy of a thin curtain when you are being examined by doctors is not conducive to relaxation and wellbeing.

Private healthcare has always allowed for a higher level of privacy and patient respect. Single rooms also allow for more confidentiality. Patients can talk more openly without fear of being overheard by fellow patients.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said that at a hospital in North West London single rooms had been trialled and were popular with patients:

'It's a thumbs-up generally from the patients. This is an important experiment in how we can introduce single rooms into hospitals and get it right.'

Patients with medical insurance are already enjoying the many benefits of single rooms whilst they are in hospital. The benefits include:

• Better sleep
• Privacy
• Patient confidentiality
• Peace and quiet
• Reduced infection rates

Good Levels of Satisfaction

In previous years the health insurance industry had a bad reputation for high levels of customer dissatisfaction. This image has improved and the UK now has one of the most reliable medical insurance industries in the world.

The poor image that health insurance had was not totally unfounded. The main complaints were about people not being able to get their treatments covered when they had been expecting to do so.

Policy definitions and procedures have now been tightened. It was inevitable. The medical insurance industry's reputation was being tarnished by sensational reports of unfair treatment in the tabloids.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) who have most private medical insurance companies as part of their membership, took the lead in generating guidelines which were fairer to consumers. The industry on the whole has adopted its proposals and the statistics reflect higher levels of customer satisfaction.

Non-disclosure
One of the main problems occurred because of health insurance non-disclosure. Now companies have developed better ways to avoid this. Non-disclosure refers to customers not giving the full medical facts about their history. This can come about for several reasons including health insurance companies not asking the right questions in the right way when they are taking details from a new customer.

Evidence of non-disclosure can invalidate a claim. And this is where problems can really get out of hand.

The ABI proposed that customers had to be treated fairly despite problems with non-disclosure. Instead of ruling a claim to be null and void they proposed that part-claims could be honoured depending on the nature of the non-disclosure.

Standard Life Healthcare, for example, have integrated the Treating Customers Fairly diective into their company policies:

'We believe that the Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) principles-based initiative by the Financial Service Authority (FSA) in the United Kingdom is complementary to our approach to all our customers. TCF requires us to assess and monitor our performance against our customer values in a robust way. To do this we have established a group TCF policy with standards that Standard Life group’s UK Business Units1 must adhere to in relation to the six TCF outcomes.'

Complaints
When people are not happy with the treatment they receive from a health insurance company they can follow the company's complaints procedure. If they are still not happy they can take the matter to Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

FOS have final say over whether a claim is upheld or not and they regularly publish their statistics. This makes health insurance companies accountable. If they have high rates of upheld complaints this filters through to the media.

Since the changes in the medical insurance industry complaints to the FOS have declined and so have the number of cases that are upheld.

Currently according to Melissa Collet from FOS only 1% of insurance complaints were about health insurance and only 31% of complaints are upheld whereas overall in the insurance industry the figure stands at 70%.

Only 514 complaint cases out of 127,471 were about private medical health insurance. Melissa Collet congratulated the industry on its low levels of complaints. This is very reassuring for those with health cover or those considering taking it out.

How to Make a Health Insurance Claim

In order to make a health insurance claim it is very important to follow the correct procedure for each company.Doint this helps speed up your claim and avoid misunderstandings.

Having a good knowledge of your policy is probably the first step. Having an awareness of what you are and are not covered for will help you to have the correct expectations of your private medical insurance cover.

Your policy will also have specific details of how to make a claim. Being familiar with your policy claims proceedure is important as there are variations in what health insurance companies need to you to do in order to make a claim. Errors can cause distressing delays and misunderstandings.

The following details are a general guideline only.

The GP is always your first port of call. They are the ones that refer you for a consultation or treatment if they think this is necessary. You need to inform them that you would like to go via your medical insurance.

Normally your insurance company will provide you with a list of approved hospital networks and practitioners with which you will be covered under your policy. Your GP needs to refer you to establishments or individuals that will be accepted by your insurer.

Some companies, for example Bupa, will allow you to go to hospitals which are not on their approved lists but will not cover you completely for treatment there. They will give you an allowance instead. If the hospital you go to charges more then you have to pay for the difference.

The next step is to call your insurance company. They will let you know whether the treatment you need is covered by your policy. They will also advise you as to whether they can approve your chosen practitioner.

The insurance company may also then send you a claim form which you need to fill in and return to them. The next step depends on whether you have a moratorium or fully underwritten policy. If you insurance cover is under a moratorium policy then the insurance company sometimes need check your medical history with your GP to make sure that you are covered for treatment for the condition you are presenting with. This can delay their response.

When you go for your consultation or treatment you need to take your health cover details with you and show them to your consultant. In most cases this enables your health insurance company to be billed and not you.

With some types of health insurance policy you are given money directly by the insurer and then you are responsible for paying for your healthcare directly. This is unusual however and in most cases the medical insurance company pays.

If your consultant sends you for tests or hospital treatment you have to contact your private health insurance company again in order to check that the proposed treatments are covered.

When you go to hospital or for treatment you need to present your health insurance documents so that your bills are sent straight to the insurance company. After you have completed your treatment you will only have to pay for any outstanding personal expenses such as guest meals, telephone calls and newspapers.

If you have had any treatment that is not covered under your policy you will also have to pay for this. Normally your medical insurance company will alert you to the fact that you have an outstanding balance.

If you feel that your health insurance company should pay for something and they are saying that it is not covered, you do have redress. You can appeal to the company to review your claim. If you are still not happy you can complain via their official complaints procedure. If you are still not happy with the outcome you can take if further to the Financial Services Ombudsman.

Bupa Supports Heart Disease Research

Private health insurance company, Bupa are committed to improving health. Their Bupa Foundation is a medical research charity which has been supporting and encouraging health research for 30 years. The recent winners of the Epidemiology Award have found a link between walking speed and the risk of heart disease.

The study, conducted by Dr Mark Hamer of University College London (UCL) and his team, has uncovered a very simple correlation between slow walking speed and an increased risk of heart disease. The implications of this research is that this simple measure could provide a very cost effective and easily implemented, first-stage, diagnostic tool.

Dr Mark Hamer said:

'We knew from previous research that physical fitness and function are key indicators of health for older people. Our challenge was to use this information to develop a simple, non-intrusive test that could identify early signs of heart disease risk – and walking provided the answer. By monitoring the speed at which older people walk just three eight foot journeys, we can now estimate an individual’s risk of heart disease.'

Deputy chair of the Bupa Foundation and medical director at Bupa ,Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen said:

'Cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly 40 percent of all deaths in the UK, so finding an easier way to spot the signs of the disease in older people has the power to save thousands of lives. This is exactly what Dr Hamer and his team have achieved and we are proud to recognise their important work, by awarding them the Bupa Foundation’s 2009 Epidemiology Award.'

The UCL team won the 2009 Epidemiology Award and also received £15,000 from the Bupa Foundation in order to continue with their research.

Heart conditions are covered by most general health insurance policies although there are several companies that do specific medical insurance cover for cancer and heart conditions. These conditions are the most common serious health conditions in the UK.

Such reduced cover policies cover you for the most common conditions whilst at the same time reducing your premiums.

Bupa: Select Heart and Cancer Policy
Axa PPP: Essential Health Cover policy covers cancer, heart and stroke

Medical Insurance Payments Rise

Sometimes people purchase health insurance but are very surprised when the following year their premiums increase by what seems to be a very substantial amount. Why is this and is there anything that you can do about it?

Most health insurance companies have to put up their prices over and above the rate of inflation but believe it or not some of the reasons for this are actually of benefit to their customers.

Western societies are continuously researching and developing new medical treatments, drugs and procedures. The standard of health care is increasing exponentially and so are our expectations. We want the best and rightly so. The downside is the cost.

According to a Price Waterhouse Cooper report health cost inflation for this year will have been 10%.

Other reasons for the rising cost of healthcare include the facts that the population is getting older. The older the population gets the more the cost of health care rises as we work to sustain quality of life. The cost of a hip replacement has increased from £230 in 1989 to £880 in 2009.

Additionally, according to the Association of British Insurers, each year more and more people claim on their private medical insurance policies.

Worryingly 20 and 30 year olds are likely for the first time in history to have poorer health than their parents. Our lifestyles are unhealthy and this increases our health risks. Insurance companies have to increase their charges in order to satisfy the increased needs of their customers.

The World Health Organisation has predicted that by 2020 cancer rates will be up by 50%. This is alarming and will have a serious impact on what private health insurance companies can offer us.

What can you do?
There are several options if you want cheaper health insurance because your premiums are unafordable:

Shop around and find a similar policy with a different company

Talk to your health insurer. Some companies are flexible. They may prefer to make you an offer rather than loose your business.

Reduce your cover. There are various ways in which you can reduce your cover. Health Insurance News UK can provide you with information on this topic.

Cheap Health Insurance

There are different ways to cut down on your health insurance costs. Companies offer several specific products which are more limited in their scope but which offer more affordable cover but another way to cut costs without loosing lots of cover is to look for the cheapest health insurance possible.

Freedom Healthnet Ltd offer a cheaper alternative to other health insurance companies. The data below shows a comparison of costs between Freedom and other well known insurers.

Comprehensive Private Medical Insurance
Age	Freedom Diamond Plus + All options	Standard Life Primecare Plus	BUPA BUPACARE	Norwich Union Solutions	PRU Health Comprehensive
30	£38.17	£85.83	£50.61	£51.62	£40.34
40	£52.24	£106.56	£63.54	£66.68	£53.69
50	£71.70	£137.19	£80.39	£84.58	£72.31
60	£106.18	£188.43	£113.07	£118.88	£105.96
Mid Range Private Medical Insurance
Age	Freedom Diamond Including outpatient cover	Standard Life Primecare Saver	Health On Line Essentials Mid Range	Pru Health Essential	AXA PPP Health Cover Plus	Secure Health Care Plus
30	£25.04	£57.76	£33.74	£41.66	£36.69	£47.72
40	£34.27	£72.26	£41.73	£54.08	£48.83	£56.90
50	£47.03	£95.52	£58.57	£69.05	£65.76	£70.94
60	£69.64	£144.14	£86.32	£97.63	£96.36	£101.87

Freedom is able to offer such cheap insurance because it works in a slightly different way to most medical insurance companies. When you make an outpatient claim Freedom pay you directly for the costs of your treatment. It is then up to you to arrange where and with whom you are treated. The joy of this scheme is that it enables you to stay with the NHS if you are happy with their waiting times and you are then free to use the insurance money is which ever way you please.

Another option is to seek cheaper treatment abroad. Health tourism is on the increase and many people combine their procedures with a recuperation holiday. If you are unwise to not seek treatment at all however and use the money for something else then Freedom Healthnet Ltd will not cover you again.

Another plus point of choosing this type of health insurance is that being a private patient with cash in your pocket enables you to shop around within the independent sector. Recent reports suggest that private medical establishments charge insurance companies more for treatments than they do their independent customers.

Health Insurance for Diabetics

Some medical insurance companies will not cover diabetic customers or they will impose very high premiums. An alternative is to approach a company which specialises in diabetic health insurance.

DiabeticHealth.co.uk offer a specialised cover which means that diabetic patients can have private health insurance. They will also cover a diabetic's family. Under their policy there is a long list of exclusions, all of which are conditions which can occur as a complication of diabetes:

• Ketoacidosis
• Hypoglycaemia
• Hyperglycaemia
• Cataracts
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Other disorders of the lens of the eye
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Chronic renal failure
• Chronic nephrotic syndrome
• Hypertension
• Neuropathy
• Glycosuria
• Atherosclerosis
• Heart disease
• Stroke

As with all insurance policies, because diabetes is a chronic condition its ongoing treatment is not covered by this policy nor are any complications that arise because of it.

Earlier this year Heath Lambert Insurance Services unveiled a cash plan insurance policy for people with diabetes. The policy was developed with Diabetes UK and is designed to provide cash for the costs involved in dental and optical treatments, diagnostic consultations, therapies, health screening, hospital in-patient stays, recuperation, home help/home nursing and child birth or adoption.

Diabetes UK is the UK's largest organisation which represents and researches to help the diabetic comunity.

Peter Hallett, Diabetes UK Affinity Products Manager, said:
'Our key aim with this new product was to secure a competitively-priced plan which readily accepted that our members are living with diabetes but which also offered them a comprehensive set of benefits.'

Diane Caplehorn of Heath Lambert commented that:
'Whilst there were many providers in the market for health cash plans, only Midlands-based BHSF could produce a plan that delivered all that Diabetes UK were seeking.'

Commenting on their recent success, BHSF Sales & Marketing Director, Brian Hall, said:
'As the public become increasingly educated on health matters, these types of bespoke arrangements will come up again and again.

'We are lucky at BHSF to have the expertise which allows us to price such policies competitively and yet sustainably. Diabetes UK is the latest in a long line of organisations and affinities that have come to rely on our customer service excellence and our pricing expertise; we are delighted to win the business and look forward to providing excellent customer service to Diabetes UK members.'

This new cash plan health insurance policy does not offer cover on any condition which you had two years prior to taking out the policy. This includes diabetes or anything arising as a result of diabetes.

The plan has an individual and a family option and also offers four levels of cover which different levels of cash back depending on the monthly premium that you pay.

The specialist health insurance market is growing which can only be good news for the consumer who will be offered more choice and the option of more tailored and specific products.

18 Week Waiting Lists

Private medical insurance enables people to get prompt medical treatment for acute conditions. Early treatment of many conditions does not only decrease anxiety and suffering but also increases a patient's long term wellbeing and medical outcomes. This week health secretary Andy Burhnam, has caused a political controversy by telling the Sunday Telegraph that Labour plan to treat patients via the private sector if they have been on a waiting list for longer than 18 weeks.

18 weeks is still a very long time in health insurance terms. As covered by Health Insurance News UK there are policies which offer a six week option. This means that if the NHS cannot treat you within six weeks then you can be treated under the terms of your medical insurance. Apart from this kind of policy most health insurance clients are seen rapidly.

Some people object to NHS patients being treated in private health establishments claiming that it is unfair that they are paying for health cover yet the same kind of treatment is being given away for free to NHS patients.

However the partnership between the private sector and the NHS has been in existence for quite some time with many claims being made that it costs the NHS less money to contract operations out to private medicine than it does to open up theatres during weekends. In the last few years private health providers have increased their involvement with the NHS. A recent survey found that in 2007 53,500 inpatient and day patients were treated in private establishments but the figures rose to 151,000 in 2008. This represented 16% of total volume in mainstream independent hospitals

The new government directive will be passed as law. Mr Burnham said:

'This will be a key battleground for the next election. This is about embedding patient rights and will prevent a return to the days when people languished on waiting lists under a Tory government.'

Overall the government target of 18 week maximum waiting lists has been achieved. Its an improvement but far from being an ideal. The extra legal incentive for hospitals to comply or otherwise be forced to pay for private treatment will supposedly encourage trusts to find ways to improve waiting lists times.

New Bupa Select

Bupa will be launching a new and more flexible health insurance package, Bupa Select, for businesses taking out cover for more than 50 employees.

The new scheme which will launch on 1st December 2009, will enable employers to create a tailor-made, medical insurance package for their companies. At the centre of the package is a comprehensive core cover but other options include:

• Cash packages (enables employers to claim for eye care, glasses, prescription and dental charges)
• Different underwriting options
• Excess options
• Ability to exclude cancer or psychiatric cover
• Rolling excess
• Refund for diagnostics
• Family cash package
• Overseas employees
• Repatriation

Head of strategy and development at Bupa UK Health & Wellness, Fiona Harris, said:

'We know that many businesses are struggling in the current economic climate, but we also know how much they and their employees value their healthcare cover. Feedback from intermediaries has shown they need clarity of the benefits available.

'Following the introduction of our new operating system, SWIFT, we are now able to provide a more flexible PMI product to the whole of the experience-rated market, regardless of group size. Bupa Select makes it as easy as possible for clients to tailor their cover to ensure everyone receives the right healthcare benefits for them.'

The health insurance market has been under considerable stress during the recession and offering flexible products is providing consumers with more options whilst still allowing the insuers to keep business. As a further incentive Bupa are offering a 30% discount for those who sign up to the scheme before the 1st December 2009.

Speedier Cancer Diagnosis

Traditionally private health insurance has promoted the speedy return of test results when people enter the private health care system. The NHS, who have been returning results faster than ever before, have new directives from the government to give those suspected of suffering from cancer even quicker turnarounds. With the health insurance sector struggling to provide comprehensive health insurance for cancer for their customers this will come as a welcome initiative.

Faster results means faster diagnosis and faster treatment which at most could save lives and at minimum will prevent anxiety as people have to wait less time to hear. The government aim to reduce waiting times from two weeks to then to one and this is seen as a great breakthrough as the UK survival rates for cancer are not very good when compared to other EU countries. Slow diagnosis is considered to be the main reason for this.

Professor Steve Field, professor of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), said:

'We are delighted to hear of the proposal to provide GPs with better access to diagnostics - it echoes what the RCGP has been calling for a long time and is a major boost for patients and for GPs who work hard to provide the very best possible care for our patients.

'Giving GPs easier access is a superb idea. Even if the results of the tests are normal, it will be of great benefit and reassure patients. It will also help us to pick up on very early symptoms so that we can stop the development of cancers and other serious diseases and save more lives.'

As reported by Health Insurance News UK, providing comprehensive medical insurance for cancer is something that the private health insurance market has been struggling with. Most companies do not provide comprehensive medical insurance for cancer as it is simply too expensive . In order to cover their risks providers have to charge large premiums. As the NHS improves its cancer diagnosis, treatment and care the medical insurance sector will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief.

The Lords Want to Extend Genetic Moratorium

Currently there is a moratorium on health insurance companies taking genetic testing into account (apart from life insurance claims over £500,000 and critical illness claims of over £300,000) when they work out a person's risk. This stands until 2014 but a new report from the House of Lords is asking that this timescale be extended and that tests taken during the moratorium are not counted as part of risk assessment.

Dr Helen Wallace of GeneWatch UK, says:

'There are women deciding whether to take the test now who do not know if they will buy insurance later on and whether at that point the moratorium will have ended and there will be a requirement from the insurance industry to see the results. The medical decision that you take may be influenced by knowing whether or not the insurance industry will have access.'

It appears that the UK is out of step with other countries. In the US, Sweden and France there is legislation that prevents insurers using genetic tests to hike up medical insurance premiums.

The House of Lords Report went on to say that there needs to be a code of conduct developed around genomic medecine and that the government need to review the subject as it is a rapidly changing area.

One area which has recently grown is postal genetic tests available from the United States. This is a very controversial area as it is widely thought that genetic tests need to be looked at with genetic counsellors. Furthermore lifestyle factors play a huge role in the management of health.

Overall the private testing companies welcome the House of Lords report's finding that there needs to be more regulation.

Brian Whitley, founder of GeneticHealth, a UK genetic testing company said:

'It is completely wrong to give people results without offering counselling.'

It remains to be seen whether the health insurance market will put pressure on the government to ignore the House of Lords recommendation to extend the 2014 moratorium further.

A Healthier Workplace

A healthier workplace means that employees are happier and more productive. Everybody wins. A recent independent study by health insurance company, PruHealth reveals that British companies are taking health in the workplace more seriously than ever before.

Almost 90 per cent of larger companies offer health benefits to their workforce as more and more senior executives and company bosses are realising the impact of a physically and mentally healthy workforce.

Top 4 initiatives offered by larger businesses:

1. Free/ discounted gym membership - 53%
2. Flu jabs - 52%
3. Free private medical insurance - 50%
4. Access to counselling - 50%

Top 3 initiatives offered by small and medium sized businesses:

1. Free fruit/ healthy meal options - 12%
2. Free private medical insurance - 12%
3. Exercise classes/ sports club - 9%

PruHealth, are themselves committed to improving health through their Vitality medical insurance scheme which rewards their private medical insurance clients with reduced premiums if they carry out a range of health enhancing activities.

Shaun Matisonn, CEO of PruHealth said:

'When it comes to health and wellbeing programmes in the workplace, we are seeing a turning point in UK businesses. The provision of these programmes and investment in employee health are no longer peripheral issues, they are core concerns. Not only are employees demanding these types of employee benefits, but with the pressures of the current economic environment, fostering a healthy workforce has never been more important to help aid both morale and productivity.

'Having now built this momentum, companies must be careful not to throw money away on poorly executed health and wellness strategies. It is all very well having these programmes in place, but employee engagement must be actively and continuously encouraged. It is understandable that employee numbers in small and medium-sized firms may be an obstacle to putting together a football team or exercise classes, but there are lots of smaller-scale initiatives to get staff involved, such as using pedometers and providing fruit bowls.

PruHealth’s Vitality incentive programme enables smaller companies to provide a full ‘blue-chip’ range of healthy activities for employees as part of their corporate PMI, enabling companies of all sizes to benefit from a healthier workforce.'

30 Years of the Six Week Option

The six week option is offered by some private medical insurance companies as a way of keeping insurance premium costs down. This is the 30th anniversary of this popular product option.

The six week option was introduced in 1979 by Dudley Lusted from AXA PPP Healthcare as part of a health insurance plan that was more affordable. With this type of plan customers agree to have treatment on the NHS if they can be seen within a six week window. If not then they are seen privately as normal.

Today a quarter of AXA medical insurance clients use the six week option. Lusted said:

'People don’t mind using the NHS if they can get in. There is nothing wrong with the health service but there are large waiting lists. The logic is that if you have to wait for treatment, this is the plan for you,” he explains.'

Aviva and Standard Life are the only other private medical insurance providers that offer the six week option. Kevin Murdoch, senior proposition development manager at Aviva Healthcare says that the six week option can reduce premiums by up to 20%. The recession has created a greater interest in this type of product. Murdoch says:

'The six week option is a great way of reducing costs and making PMI more affordable. While PMI sales are up year-on-year, we have seen an increase in enquiries from customers about how to reduce costs. They still want PMI but they want to reduce their premium, and the six week plan is a good way to do this. Everyone is strapped for cash at the moment.'

Although NHS waiting lists have been getting shorter and shorter they have only recently reached their target of 18 weeks. This type of plan reduces your waiting time by a third.

On the downside, if you are admitted to an NHS hospital as an emergency on this type of policy you cannot then transfer as a private patient which is different to other health insurance policies. You must stay within the NHS for your treatment.

One common misconception about six week plans is that you have to wait six weeks before you see a consultant. This is not the case. You can see a private consultant straight away. It is only if you need treatment that the six-week option comes into play.

The NHS is likely to see a slow down on spending in the coming years which could increase waiting times once more and the six week option plans are likely to increase in popularity if this occurs.