There can be a lot of terminology around healthcare and health insurance that can be confusing. An example of this is the difference between inpatient and outpatient care. When you take out a health insurance policy, you’ll want to make sure that you understand the differences between the two so you can ensure that you’re getting the cover that’s right for you and your business.
So, what is the difference between inpatient and outpatient cover when it comes to health insurance?
Essentially, inpatient cover is for treatment and procedures that require you to be admitted and stay overnight in hospital, whereas outpatient cover includes cover for treatment and procedures where you are not admitted as an inpatient or day-patient and don’t require you to stay overnight or occupy a bed for a day.
What is inpatient care?
Inpatient treatment/care is when you are required to stay in hospital overnight in order to receive medical treatment and supervision. As an inpatient, you will occupy a bed in a hospital for one night or more. As an inpatient, you may be in hospital for an operation or test.
Does AXA Health business health insurance cover inpatient care?
Whether inpatient care is covered by your plan will depend on the cover options that you choose. Our Treatment option includes cover for inpatient hospital procedures and operations, including surgery, plus radiotherapy and chemotherapy for cancer when you include Comprehensive Cancer Cover.
Find out more about our Treatment option, including what we do and don’t cover
What is outpatient care?
Outpatient treatment/care (sometimes referred to as daypatient) is when you are not required to stay in hospital overnight. As an outpatient, you may be having an appointment for diagnostic tests, treatment or a procedure in a hospital, consulting room or outpatient clinic.
Does AXA Health business health insurance cover outpatient care?
Whether outpatient care is covered by your healthcare plan will depend on the cover options that you choose.
Our Outpatient options provide outpatient cover for specialist consultations and diagnostic tests, and ensure that your team are seen quickly by the right specialist at a time and place that suits them. We offer three levels of outpatient cover, standard, enhanced and full:
- Standard Outpatient:
- Specialist consultations: up to two specialist consultations a year
- Diagnostic tests: no yearly limit on these when your employee’s specialist refers them
- Enhanced Outpatient:
- Specialist consultations: up to four specialist consultations a year
- Diagnostic tests: no yearly limit on these when your employee’s specialist refers them
- Fees for practitioners: no yearly limit on fees for nurses, dieticians, orthoptists, speech therapists and audiologists on specialist referral
- Full Outpatient:
- Specialist consultations: no yearly limit
- Diagnostic tests: no yearly limit on these when your employee’s specialist refers them
- Fees for practitioners: no yearly limit on fees for nurses, dieticians, orthoptists, speech therapists and audiologists on specialist referral
Find out more about our Outpatient options, including what we do and don’t cover
Our Therapies option helps you take care of your team's physical health with fast access to hands-on treatment from a physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor or acupuncturist - whichever's right for them.
Our Therapies option includes:
- Outpatient treatment fees:
- For treatment by physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors and acupuncturists
- Up to 10 sessions a year:
- Up to a maximum of 10 sessions a year on GP referral or when you have physiotherapy or osteopathy treatment through our muscles, bones and joints service
- Ongoing sessions:
- When agreed by us on the advice of a specialist
Find out more about our Therapies option, including what we do and don't cover
Inpatient and outpatient cover for cancer
Our Treatment with Comprehensive Cancer Cover option provides cover for inpatient and post-diagnosis outpatient care in relation to cancer. This includes cover for:
- Diagnostic tests as an inpatient or day patient
- Diagnostic tests as an outpatient when ordered by the specialist treating your cancer
- Specialist consultations with the specialist treating your cancer when you are an outpatient
- Surgery for the treatment or diagnosis of cancer, so long as it is conventional treatment
- Licensed, approved drug therapy to kill cancer cells including biological therapies and chemotherapy
Find out more about our Treatment with Comprehensive Cancer Cover option, including what we do and don't cover
How much does inpatient and outpatient cover cost?
The cost of inpatient and outpatient cover will vary depending on a number of different factors, including the age of those covered on the plan, the underwriting option as well as the other cover options you choose. To give you an idea of how much inpatient and outpatient cover could cost, we have an included an example price below:
Treatment with Comprehensive Cancer Cover + Enhanced Outpatient from £34.11 per employee, per month*
Find out more about our business health insurance, including what we do and don't cover, and get a quote today
Individual exclusions may apply, regardless of group cover
*The above example is an average based on six employees (aged 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 & 50), living in Guildford, paying annually for a 5% discount, with a £100 excess and a two year moratorium on pre-existing conditions. Costs are representative as of April 2024, and prices will vary depending on location, cover options and ages.