subject: Why Choose Private Health Insurance? [print this page] Whether or not to take out private health insurance is a big decision and one that could ultimately impact on your long-term health.
The most obvious benefit that's afforded by private insurance is the bypassing of the infamous long National Health Service waiting lists.
Statistics show that waiting times on the NHS for hospital admissions are actually the shortest they have ever been, with almost all of the patients referred by their GP being treated within 18 weeks in England. The story isn't as positive in Wales and Northern Ireland however, with much longer waiting times since devolution in 1999.
Fighting long NHS waiting times is an extremely tricky business. Advance in medical science is a double-edged sword because on the one hand it means better treatment and knowledge, on the other it means that medical costs are constantly increasing.
Coupled with this is the fact that people are living longer and longer, which again puts a heavier strain on the NHS than ever before as people tend to need more healthcare the older they get.
Statistics show that in January 2010 the amount of people who had to wait more than six weeks to be treated on the NHS was approximately 284,300.
Private health insurance
Private health insurance is a very attractive option for many people and there are indeed many benefits over opting for this over NHS care. Criticisms of health insurance have included that it is elitist and offers superior care to the privileged, but the balancing argument to this is that if those who can afford it use it, this removes some of the strain from an already-suffering NHS.
If you can afford it, there are some great benefits to having health insurance. If you have to have a stay in hospital, with medical insurance it's likely you'll see the same doctor each time during your stay, and possibly have one nurse attending to you too.
You also get to have more of a choice about where you are treated and depending on your policy you may get a private room, and there are many fringe benefits such as unrestricted visiting hours.
Policies for health insurance vary greatly, and it's important to study a range of policy options before you make a decision, working out exactly what you can afford to pay each month and exactly what you want cover for and what you do not and weighing up the costs with the risks.
by: Dominic Donaldson
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