The UK is unique in that all citizens have access to the NHS. However, the increasing demand the NHS is being placed under means that you may have to wait for a long period of time before you can expect to receive treatment.
If you do not want to wait to receive treatment through the NHS then you should give serious thought to private medical health insurance. Private medical health insurance gives the policyholder the reassurance of knowing that they will be seen promptly should they become injured or need treatment. A common misconception is that private medical health insurance is expensive. In reality, there are many health insurance schemes to cater for nearly everyone's budget.
Private medical health insurance is designed to cover costs incurred while receiving private medical treatment for short term illness or injury (otherwise known as an acute condition). Most health insurance companies define an acute condition as a condition that is likely to respond quickly to treatment and will see the patient return to their previous state of health prior to suffering the condition.
As a private patient you can often choose when treatment will take place, the specialist who treats you and the hospital. You will usually have the privacy of an en-suite room, complete with TV and other home comforts. As with all insurance policies, you have a 14 day cooling off period if you decide you do not want to continue with the policy.
As people get older they are more likely to require and receive medical treatment, so it is usual for health insurance premiums to increase with age. To plan for the future, ask your health insurance company to provide the current premium for someone 5 years older than you when you ask for a quotation.
It is also important to remember that private medical health insurance is not designed to replace all the services offered by the NHS. Some, such as accident and emergency, are beyond the scope of most private hospitals. Typically, a private health insurance policy will not cover conditions such as d rug abuse, self inflicted injuries, HIV/AIDS, infertility, cosmetic surgery and kidney dialysis. To find out exactly what your policy will not cover it is important to read the insurer's policy documentation.
