Why compromise on your health when you don’t have to?

Millions of UK citizens are needlessly waiting WEEKS to see a doctor and MONTHS to have necessary procedures completed.  Are you one of them?

Healthy, wealthy and wise – it’s what all of us want to be.

But the truth is that all too often, we focus on the wealthy and wise bit, neglecting the importance of keeping ourselves healthy.

Which is a mistake.

After all, without the health bit, having money and wisdom doesn’t really mean very much.

And here’s where we come straight to the elephant in the room:

Ensuring that you’re healthy and that you get prompt medical attention to ensure you stay that way is harder than ever in the UK.

Regardless of how wise or wealthy you are, if you’re one of the millions of people relying on NHS treatment to keep you healthy and to look after you in the event of any health issues, then you’ve got a problem.

You see, right now, the NHS is overrun, and pretty much on its knees.

And this isn’t a political point – the NHS has struggled for many years, regardless of whether a Tory or Labour government happened to be in charge at the time.

Right now, things are as bad as they’ve ever been before:

  • Hospitals are way too full; a full 10% above what experts believe is a “safe” level of occupancy.
  • Hospitals are way too full; a full 10% above what experts believe is a “safe” level of occupancy.
  • The wait-time for routine appointments is rising fast; the UK average is almost fifteen days, and more than one in five surgeries have a wait-time of more than three weeks.
  • A&E waiting times are at their worst ever – over 20% of patients can expect to wait for more than four hours.
  • Operations are regularly cancelled and delayed, usually down to “non-clinical” issues.
  • GPs are getting out of the health service in their droves, the ones that are left want to work fewer hours, and over half plan to quit the NHS in the next five years.
  • And, as you’d expect, the coronavirus crisis is having a significant impact on all of the above – the NHS may well never recover from this additional strain.

Right, so the NHS is in trouble.  Why are we telling you this?

You probably already know the NHS is in trouble – it’s been used as a political punchbag many times, and the newspapers are onto all of these stats like a flash.

But the chances you might not have sat down and really questioned what impact it will have on you and your family.

You see, when you’re healthy, you don’t tend to think about the reality of needing medical attention.

 You look at the headlines, you tut at the numbers, and then you get on with your life.

But have you thought about what happens when you or the people you love do need medical attention?

What happens then?

Do you want to rely on an overstretched health service to carry out your care?

Are you happy to wait months and months for an operation that is deemed “non-essential”, even if it means spending those months in agony?

Are you okay waiting for at least two weeks to speak to a GP about a pain that could be nothing, but might be life-threatening?

The chances are you’re answering “no” to a lot of those questions, but also feeling like you probably don’t have a choice.

And if that’s the case, we’ve got news for you: you DO have a choice.

Why “going private” isn’t just for a tiny subsection of the elite.

You’ll have heard of the expression “going private”, and like many UK citizens, maybe you’ve dismissed it in the past, thinking that it’s just for aristocrats and billionaires.

But the reality is that – done correctly – it’s straightforward for people like you to “go private” for the majority of your healthcare, with almost no impact on your finances.

And the benefits of using private healthcare are apparent:

  • You wait less time to be seen – you can usually see a GP the same day your need arises, while your time to wait for consultant appointments, procedures and surgery is measured in days and weeks, not months and years
  • You choose your surgeon and hospital – when you use the NHS, you pretty much get what you’re given, but when you go private you can choose who administers your care, and where they do it.
  • You get nicer facilities – private medical facilities are usually nicer, plusher, and provide a higher degree of privacy, with private rooms rather than open wards.
  • You get the treatment that you can’t on the NHS – when you go private, you get more options in terms of procedures and drugs.
  • Your aftercare is better and more flexible – if you need care after a procedure or an operation, you’ll find the private offering far more flexible.

By most measures, private medical treatment is superior to the experience you’ll enjoy on the NHS, which means that when you access it, you can:

Give yourself the best chance

of continuing to provide your family physically, emotionally and financially – the quicker you’re back to fighting fit, the more you can provide for the people you love. Private medical care gives you the best chance of bouncing back quickly.

Enjoy the peace of mind

that comes from knowing that you and your family have world-class medical expertise at your disposal, whenever you want it, with no long waits.

Spare your family the worry

and pain that comes from someone they love deteriorating while they wait for treatment.

The chances are that this all makes sense to you, but you’re probably still wondering how you can possibly afford it.

And that’s where it gets interesting – there’s a misconception that private medical care costs the earth, and it couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, there’s a simple way of ensuring high-quality medical care for you and your family for less than the cost of your daily Starbucks.

Allow us to explain:

Broadly speaking, there are two ways of “going private”:

  • Pay as you go – pay for medical treatment as and when you need it
  • Take out private medical insurance – when you need treatment, you pay, and excess and your insurer pays the rest

As you’d expect, ‘pay as you go’ is expensive. Private healthcare isn’t cheap, and if you’re paying for it piecemeal, it’s going to cost you A LOT.

As an example, the average cost of a hip operation in the UK will cost you close to £11,000, cataract surgery will be a fee of around £2,500. In comparison, something as common as a CT scan would cost up to £1,000.

Consequently, the far more affordable way to “go private” is to take out private medical insurance.

Instead of significant lump sums, which you might not be able to afford when the treatment is needed, you just pay a simple, affordable monthly insurance premium, and should you need to claim, you’ll pay a small excess; your insurer will cover the rest.

In short, taking out private medical insurance is the single best way to guarantee high-quality healthcare for you and your family, when you need it. When you look into the cost, you’ll realise it’s incredibly affordable.

How much does private medical insurance cost?

There’s no one fixed answer to this question – it depends on who you are, how old you are and your medical history, as well as a few other things, like whether you smoke and what your height and weight are.

But what’s certain is that it’s definitely a lot more affordable than most people think.

To give you a rough idea, a 25-year old would pay around £63 a month, and a 50-year old can expect a premium of about £110.

If you’re looking to cover your whole family, you’ll likely get a more favourable premium, with multi-person discount – a four-person family, with two parents in their mid-30s, would be roughly £200 a month.

No, it’s not “chump change”, but for a lot of people, it’s not exactly a life-changing amount of money either.

If you go to the pub a couple of times a week, or out for dinner two or three times a month, you’re already spending more of your disposable income on that than you would be on guaranteeing high-quality healthcare for you and your family.

If you’re still reading, it’s probably because you know that private medical insurance is easily affordable for you. If that’s the case, then the question for you isn’t why you should take out private medical insurance, but rather, why wouldn’t you?

For those that can easily afford the monthly premium, private medical insurance really is a no-brainer:

  • It gives you swift access to any medical attention you need
  • It gives you a higher standard of facilities, as well as carers that aren’t stretched to breaking point
  • It keeps you off waiting lists if you need operations and procedures
  • It gives you the best chance of continuing to earn the income that looks after your family and reduces the chance of you being off work long-term
  • It reduces the burden on the NHS; by you not using it, it means someone else can

“But I’ve paid for the NHS, so I should take advantage of it.”

Most of us use the NHS without thinking about it, and if we do stop at some point to consider it, we tell ourselves that we pay our taxes, so we should keep using it.

And if you’ve been thinking that, then there’s a straightforward question for you to answer:

Why?

You’re legally obliged to pay taxes, but that doesn’t mean you’re compelled to squeeze every last drop out of them, especially if you can afford not to.

And when you consider the fact that by doing that you’re effectively sabotaging yourself, and subjecting you and your family to more waiting and a less comfortable level of care, it starts to make less and less sense.

“Okay, I’m interested.  What’s next?”

If you’d like to know more about the private medical insurance, then that’s fantastic news – you’re on your way to a higher standard of care, and you’re doing your bit to help the NHS survive too.

But, here’s our advice: DON’T rush out and buy an insurance policy without thinking it through and doing your due diligence.

Buying a medical insurance policy in a rush is a surefire way to end up paying more than you should, as well as potentially ending up with a plan that doesn’t cover you for the things you need it to.

What’s the alternative?

Speak to an advisor.

At Sustainable Healthcare UK, we recommend speaking to an advisor before committing to any insurance policy, and there are several reasons why:

You’ll get more choice

Just like when you’re looking for a mortgage, going through an advisor will give you access to more products than you’ll be able to find on the open market, which means you’ve got more chance of getting a premium that suits you and your family.

You’ll save time

Rather than you trawling the internet, and not really knowing what you’re looking for, talking to an advisor will get you to the right policy quickly, saving you hours of time. 

You’ll end up with the best policy

Medical insurance advisors aren’t salespeople – they’re highly qualified and regulated by both the FCA and the PRA.  Consequently, when you go through an advisor, you’re speaking to someone who knows their craft inside out and who's goal is to get you the best product possible.

You’ll get the best price

It’s never cheaper to just contact an insurer and go direct with them.  An advisor is on your side, so will do all they can to get you the keenest price and the best policy.

Don't know where to start?

Your next step – talk to an advisor

If you’re interested in finding out more about medical insurance policy for you, and perhaps your family too, then that’s fantastic news.

 Talk to an Advisor

Here are Sustainable Healthcare UK, we believe that to make our healthcare system sustainable, those who can use private care are having a huge, positive impact on the overall landscape of healthcare in this country.

By “going private”, not only are you guaranteeing yourself high-quality and immediate care, but you’re also helping our country too.

The next step is to talk to an advisor, and we can help on that front.

We’ve got an extensive network of advisors. We can put you in touch with the one that best suits your needs – all you need to do is click below, fill in a short form, and we’ll connect you with an advisor that can help you weigh up the pros and cons, and decide which policy, if any, is right for you.

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