What is private healthcare?

What is private healthcare?

Choosing to have private healthcare is a personal decision that will depend on your circumstances, the condition you have and the treatment you need. It doesn’t replace the NHS, but you can often get fast diagnosis and treatment. It also gives you more flexibility around where and when treatment and appointments take place.

In the UK, we’re lucky to have fully funded healthcare through the NHS, so private healthcare works a little differently to other countries. You can still use the NHS, but you can also choose to use private healthcare.

There are two ways to pay for private healthcare:

• Paying the full cost yourself – this is called ‘self-funding’.
• Buying private health insurance. Private health insurance will usually only pay for new conditions that start after you join, not conditions you already have.

You can access a wide range of services privately, including surgery, specialist consultations, diagnostic tests and outpatient treatments such as physiotherapy.

Why choose private healthcare?

Here are a few of the reasons why people choose private healthcare:

Speed: You can usually access diagnosis and treatment quickly. You may also avoid the NHS waiting lists.

Flexibility: Private healthcare can give you flexibility about when and where you have your appointment or treatment. For example, you may get a choice of days or hospitals for your operation or test. This can make it easier to fit appointments around your work or family.

Choice: With private healthcare, you can often choose a specialist or hospital. However, if you’re paying for your treatment through a private health insurer, you may find there are rules or about which hospitals or specialists you can use, depending on how your plan is set up.

Facilities: If you’re having treatment in a private hospital, you’ll usually have a comfortable, private room, high quality food, and sometimes more flexible visiting times.

Can I still use the NHS if I have private health insurance?

Yes. Private healthcare isn’t intended to replace the NHS, and you’ll still be able to use the NHS. There are some treatments such as accident and emergency care that aren’t available through private healthcare.

Instead, private healthcare can offer different options and may give you more freedom over where and when you have your treatment.

What do I need to consider if I’m thinking about private healthcare?

If you’re self-funding: Make sure you know what you may need to pay. Private healthcare can be very expensive if you self-fund, so it’s worth doing some research. Before you commit to any treatment, ask your doctor or hospital for a full breakdown of the expected cost. You can ask different hospitals for quotes and compare. Make sure you know about any other possible costs – for example, if you need to stay overnight unexpectedly, need an extra follow-up appointment, or need to take medications home.

Some hospitals or private healthcare providers will offer you payment in instalments. Make sure you’re aware of the interest that may be added to your bill, how much this will cost over time, and what happens if you can’t keep up your repayments.

If you’re buying health insurance: If you’re considering taking out health insurance to pay for private healthcare, make sure you know what is and isn’t covered before buying your plan. Compare what different private health insurers provide to make sure you’re getting the best plan for your needs.

It’s also worth knowing that most health insurers don’t cover conditions or symptoms you have before your health insurance starts. These are sometimes called pre-existing conditions. If you need treatment for a pre-existing condition, you’ll either have to pay for it yourself, or have the treatment on the NHS.

There will also be some conditions and treatments your plan doesn’t cover, such as chronic conditions.