Your New Year’s Health Resolution

2021 has seen us yet again be led by a virus in several different directions and, to be honest, most people I have spoken to are exhausted. Even now the rules are confusing and that is possibly my biggest understatement within this blog. Is it therefore time for you to make your new years Health Resolution?

Without doubt in the Health Insurance sector, the question we are asked most is, “how do I actually get to see a doctor?” and this alone has sparked so many more people to look at private medical insurance than ever before.

How do I get to see a GP QUICKLY?

Although the guidance is for NHS GPs to see people face to face where necessary – the capacity to do that seems to be minimal. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have a health insurance policy in place at least have access to a private GP via an app or telephone consultation. Even for me as a technological dinosaur, they are easy to use, and it beats waiting for weeks for an appointment with my NHS GP by a mile.

Can a private GP refer me to a specialist?

What happens if you then need a referral to a consultant? Easy, the private GP’s you speak to via your app can refer you on, if you need more specialist treatment. So, what are you waiting for?

It is not just about seeing a GP either. Look at the waiting lists in your area for non-urgent surgery. I have done a search this morning using the NHS service search using gallbladder surgery as an example.

https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/

The results in the Chelmsford area are staggering – even though there is an 18-week guideline, the current stats are completely different. The current waiting period is over 40 weeks for 9/10 patients. This is a long time to wait for something that can be debilitating due to pain and numerous other symptoms. We know that gall bladder surgery may not be “urgent”, but it certainly makes a difference to your everyday life.

Having health insurance in place could result in your wait time being dramatically reduced, enabling you to get back to a reasonable quality of life sooner.

The government have pledged a huge amount of money to aid the struggling NHS this winter but even with this funding, it doesn’t seem as though there is any quick fix with the current covid Omicron crisis.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/700-million-to-support-nhs-this-winter

We are lucky to have the NHS here in the UK and private medical insurance does not replace it. If you can afford it, then why not get yourself ahead of the queue? Take yourself out of the NHS system and free up the appointments for those people who cannot afford any alternative.

Can I afford private medical insurance?

There is a massive misconception that the cost of health insurance is too expensive for the masses to afford. Many think that only the elite can afford to pay the premiums, and this is definitely not the case.

Insurance providers in the UK really have looked at the policy benefits and premiums across the board. There really are some exceptions new policy premiums available for both consumers and SME businesses.

What is the cost of consumer private medical insurance?

There are a number of factors to take into consideration when looking at premiums, but let me give you an example:

Meet Bob – he is 30 years old and lives with his two children aged 10 and 5 in Chelmsford. He wants to look at options for Health Insurance and is happy to have a £250 excess (payable per insured life per policy year if a claim is made) He would like to use a start date of 1st January 2022.

We have provided Bob with quotations from our panel of insurers including Aviva, AXA Health, Bupa, The Exeter, Freedom Health Insurance, General and Medical and Vitality Health.

ClientStatusComprehensiveMid-RangeBudget
BobSingle parent£125.99 per month£96.39 per month£61.13 per month
£1,511.88 annual£1,156.68 annual£733.56 annual
£4.14 per day£3.16 per day£2.00 per day

Quotation for policy starting 1st January 2022 on new moratorium underwriting.

As you can see even at the highest level, full cover comprehensive policy, the cost per day for 3 lives is under £5. The budget cover option still offers full core cover (all of the expensive in-patients’ hospital and surgery charges) and an element of out-patients consultation and full cover for out-patients diagnostics. At a cost of £2 for 3 lives covered per day, this is less than the cost of a pint of beer, glass of wine or even a cup of coffee.

The costs for cover on company policies can be even lower, so if you own a business and want to ensure that your staff’s health is taken care of in 2022 then perhaps now is the time to look at your options.

The team at SMP Healthcare are available to help you find a policy that suits your budget and your requirements. Please get in touch to ensure your New Years Health resolution is completed the easy way!