It can sometimes be difficult to get an appointment with a GP, however AXA PPP Healthcare have teamed up with Doctor Care Anywhere, a leading provider of innovative healthcare services, who offer a specialist GP service known as Doctor@Hand, making it easier for you to see a GP. What is Doctor@Hand? Doctor@Hand is an alternative way of seeing a GP by video or telephone consultation, making it easier for you, your family or employees to talk about any medical condition or concern at a suitable time with an experienced doctor. How do I book an appointment? You can book a…

When I first dipped my toe into the world of healthcare insurance back in 2004 the options for clients when I came to group or SME company private medical insurance were fairly good and there were a whole host of insurance companies fighting for their share of the UK private medical insurance market. Of course BUPA and AXA PPP were still right up there as the leaders in the sector but the alternative options available included BCWA, Clinicare, First Assist, Groupama, Norwich Union (now AVIVA), PHC, Standard Life and WPA to name a few. With all of the options available…

There are a handful of ways to help reduce the cost of your Private Medical Insurance policy, however when considering reduced cover options it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages that each benefit brings and what happens if you pair certain options together, such as pairing out-patient limits with an excess. There are generally two ways in which Private Medical Insurers operate when an insured has a policy with a reduced out-patient limit and an excess and the first claim they make during the policy year is for an out-patient service. These are best illustrated by examples which…

If you have a business with 25 or more employees and would like to introduce a cash plan as part of your employee benefits package, the Proactive plan from Medicash is one option that is worth consideration. A cash plan is not private medical insurance however it does offer cash back to your staff for everyday healthcare costs and the costs are much lower than traditional private medical insurance. What benefits are available on the Proactive scheme? Dental treatment – routine and dental accident and injury Optical Specialist Consultations and Diagnostics tests/scans Best Doctors Doctor online Complementary therapies Alternative therapies…

Dementia Awareness Week is running until the 20th May 2017 and Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading Dementia support and research charity, are asking everyone across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to unite against Dementia which is set to be the 21st century’s biggest killer. What causes Dementia? Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease or a series of strokes. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of Dementia, but not the only one. What are the symptoms of Dementia? A person with Dementia will often experience the following cognitive symptoms: – Difficulty recalling…

With this week being the UK’s Mental Health Awareness Week, SMP Healthcare Ltd have looked a little closer at the charity MIND to let you know about what help is available to people suffering with mental health or psychiatric issues. As a specialist private medical insurance broker we know that many of our clients have cover relating to mental health issues within their insurance policies, however we also know that there are general exclusions relating to specific triggers such as drug dependence and alcohol abuse. So where can people turn when they need help that they cannot get under their…

At SMP Healthcare Ltd we’re committed to keeping our clients new and existing up to date about changes that affect Private Medical Insurance policies. That’s why we want to let you know about a change to Insurance Premium Tax and what it means to those who either a hold a policy, or are considering putting a policy in place. First things first…what is Insurance Premium Tax? *Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) is a tax on general insurance premiums and therefore applies to Private Medical Insurance policies. There are two rates of IPT: – A current standard rate of 10% – A…

May 2017 is the Living Streets’ National Walking Month. The Living Streets website provides top tips to encourage people to walk for 20 minutes every day. They have also provided an online “rate my walk” tool. Living Streets is the UK charity for everyday walking and their aim is to create a walking nation that is free from congested roads and pollution reducing the risk of preventable illness and social isolation and to make waking the natural choice. They aim to get people of all generations to enjoy the benefits that walking brings and to ensure that all of our…

AVIVA offers a free and secure online portal which lets clients manage their AVIVA policies online. With this easy to use facility, policyholders have immediate access to their insurance information and a number of new services that put them in control. How does it work? Access to the online portal can be gained by clicking on the following link and entering your name, email address and chosen password. https://www.direct.aviva.co.uk You can then unlock the details of your Private Medical Insurance policy by confirming your date of birth, postal code, scheme number and member number. What can you do on the online…