Your view on Private Health Insurance?

I have BUPA private cover through work, and frankly its a pain in the backside. With the excesses to pay and I have to find a specialist for what I need in my area that works to the BUPA rates. Its such a faff on. If you take someone who doesn't charge BUPA rates, you have to pay the difference for it, which can amount to hundreds. I'd rather put that money into the NHS and make it better.

Even more so as I discovered yesterday that my cousin had to have half her leg amputated. She couldn't say enough good things about the NHS, they've been wonderful for her and long may it stay that way. I'd gladly pay to save it. For profit health shouldn't even be a thing, we shouldn't be mirroring the US model, they should be copying us instead.
 
I have BUPA private cover through work, and frankly its a pain in the backside. With the excesses to pay and I have to find a specialist for what I need in my area that works to the BUPA rates. Its such a faff on. If you take someone who doesn't charge BUPA rates, you have to pay the difference for it, which can amount to hundreds. I'd rather put that money into the NHS and make it better.

Even more so as I discovered yesterday that my cousin had to have half her leg amputated. She couldn't say enough good things about the NHS, they've been wonderful for her and long may it stay that way. I'd gladly pay to save it. For profit health shouldn't even be a thing, we shouldn't be mirroring the US model, they should be copying us instead.
You're not wrong. I pay a maximum of 100 pounds per year excess so my private health's isn't that expensive beyond the income tax it costs me. And I, like you would prefer for that tax to go to the nhs. We all know that won't happen though.
 
You are making me think. Many years ago I had BUPA through work. I had to use their services to help me through work stress. This was really good sending me to the Priory hospital for counselling.
My view at the time was to use it as I was saving NHS resources by going private. True I wish they funded the NHS properly however that is far more complicated than you would imagine.
I have a brother in law who is contracted to run various Health Trusts though his private company. He is regularly asked to take over poorly performing trusts and get them on to an even keel. My ex wife was trained up as a nurse through the NHS and then after qualifying went to an agency. This way she earns far more than NHS employees, a situation that morally I struggle with. However she works for multiple hospitals in a 50 mile radius on all sorts of wards including Covid. These are both examples of privatisation, but are adding more to healthcare than I ever could.
 
Proper health care shouldn't discriminate based on your wealth, but increasingly it is in the UK.

The NHS is at breaking point and it is influencing many people to go private, which I think is the government's intention.

Health provision is seen as a massive cash cow by the government just waiting to be exploited.
 
Don't agree with it and the more who get it will lead to a two tear system. If you think private heath care is unfair its nothing compared to social care. My dad's paying nearly 800 a week when the person in the next room could be paying fook all for the same care.
 
I really do not care of your opinion.
Thankfully not had much experience but every time I have they’ve been amazing. Have numerous family members who are worked to their bones at JC due to under staffing. My mother in law is working her weekend off to help as we speak. The solution is to fund them properly.

I have my reasons and experiences which I won't go into other than to say the A&E and surgical care were outstanding. However once on the wards it's a totally different scenario.
 
I wish they would put the NHS portion of everyone’s taxes separately on their payslips. That way it would be easier for people to see what they actually pay for all the services they get access to. I guarantee people would be far more accepting of an increase to NHS contributions that way than any other tax increase. It would be easy to compare it to private alternatives too.
 
I went to a customers house in December, they were in bed receiving chemotherapy at home for pancreatic cancer . NHS couldn’t do it due to covid situation . She was fortunate to be able to receive it in her husbands work health insurance. Getting it diagnosed also took time due to covid .
Hopefully when i go back in December she’ll be in a better position .
 
I doubt anyone would argue in your predicament. I would put 2p on income tax at the higher rates and improve the NHS and social care.
The tories dare not increase taxes but I think they will have no choice.
The private health care system in the USA is awful.
Worth remembering we pay less towards our health care than just about every country in the G8

It’s probably what’s already happening with sugar related products . At the end of the day we are what we eat .
 
You are making me think. Many years ago I had BUPA through work. I had to use their services to help me through work stress. This was really good sending me to the Priory hospital for counselling.
My view at the time was to use it as I was saving NHS resources by going private. True I wish they funded the NHS properly however that is far more complicated than you would imagine.
I have a brother in law who is contracted to run various Health Trusts though his private company. He is regularly asked to take over poorly performing trusts and get them on to an even keel. My ex wife was trained up as a nurse through the NHS and then after qualifying went to an agency. This way she earns far more than NHS employees, a situation that morally I struggle with. However she works for multiple hospitals in a 50 mile radius on all sorts of wards including Covid. These are both examples of privatisation, but are adding more to healthcare than I ever could.
This has me conflicted in so many ways. Its what other posters are referring too when they say this is likely what the government want and will push all of us towards private health care. I totally get that people have to do whats best for them and in some cases, NHS isn't up to it. But, God damn it, we know the reason why, its being underfunded to push people to a US model. We all know it, me and quite a few others here would gladly pay more tax to make that go away, but as a non billionaire, working class oik, what am I supposed to do to affect what appears to be the invevitable? I'll always use the NHS where I can, but I may end up being an outlier.
 
Be very careful what you wish for. My wife recently had a visit to the ER and the bill was $25,000. The insurance is settling all but $150 and that was just the hospital, not the staff involved. Eye-watering if your insurance doesn't cover it.
 
This has me conflicted in so many ways. Its what other posters are referring too when they say this is likely what the government want and will push all of us towards private health care. I totally get that people have to do whats best for them and in some cases, NHS isn't up to it. But, God damn it, we know the reason why, its being underfunded to push people to a US model. We all know it, me and quite a few others here would gladly pay more tax to make that go away, but as a non billionaire, working class oik, what am I supposed to do to affect what appears to be the invevitable? I'll always use the NHS where I can, but I may end up being an outlier.
Two of the biggest issues which got Blair into power were the derisory old age pension after 18 years of Tory cuts and a vastly underfunded NHS. The Tories are risking their future in keeping pensioners happy, but hoping they can shift blame and push to privatisation to say they're looking after the NHS.
 
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There is one thing that gets overlooked with private health care. I have a disability that needs regular treatment but if I took out private health care I would never be able to claim against it. Fair enough you might say if people get the insurance from birth you will not be locked out BUT you will not be able to switch to a new provider and will have to pay the yearly price rises from your current insurance company or not have access to any treatment. NHS has flaws but in my book is far better than any other system across the whole population.
 
Assume the standard Bupa cover is what most work places offer, has anyone actually had to use this and is it worth having? I took the cash alternative my employer offered instead as the list of things they wouldnt treat was as long as my arm so didnt really see the point, but I think getting treatment for anything non urgent on the NHS will be impossible over the next few years so might have to reconsider
 
Same here. It's a free country of course, but I despise the principle that the possession of wealth can buy you better health care. Same goes for education.

Cars, holidays, watches, houses, clothes, dining out etc too. The possession of wealth shouldn't be something to be ashamed of if you have worked your back side off to earn it, especially if you took the risk to start a business, perhaps even with loans, became succesful and created jobs for others.

I have private insurance to give my family the best health care that I can. I feel no shame for this.
 
I am sure many who are against private health cover simply couldn't afford it. That makes an option pretty easy to make.

I've only used the NHS a handful of times but they were great. That doesn't mean I wouldn't folk out for private cover (also private dental).

I won't bash the NHS. They are underfunded and over stretched. That said if I could afford it I'd probably have private health cover and dental. I definitely wouldn't criticise anyone who has it. I mean what's wrong with improving the health of yourself and family because you have principles?

My dad's in his 80s and had a knee surgery canceled 7 times. Yes it's not a 'priority' but he's since had it done privately. He's now fully mobile and pain free. I doubt he would have had it done in the next year under the NHS. That said did tell him to ease up on spending my inheritance 😂😂
 
I get it as a benefit of my job, and i pay to have the rest of the family on my policy. I use NHS where i can, but if i have a referral for anything that is going to take a while to get an appointment, I go private.

It's been great, and the whole family have used it at some point or other. My latest appointment was for an MRI scan on brain, inner ear and neck to try and get to the bottom of why I have dizzy spells and my tinnitus has gone crazy.

They didn't find any issues of concern other than slight wear on my neck. But i was seen within 3 days of calling and they paid the bill in full which was around £1k.
 
Cars, holidays, watches, houses, clothes, dining out etc too. The possession of wealth shouldn't be something to be ashamed of if you have worked your back side off to earn it, especially if you took the risk to start a business, perhaps even with loans, became succesful and created jobs for others.

I have private insurance to give my family the best health care that I can. I feel no shame for this.
I'm pretty sure we can all appreciate the sentiment of looking after your family.

The problem is that together we are stronger, the more of us that splinter off and get private insurance the sooner we arrive at a US style system.

This will have a knock on effect of actually making us all worse off, regardless of whether we have private insurance or not.
 
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