The benefits of private medical insurance: What you need to know

There are many benefits associated with signing up to private medical insurance. The good news is that it’s easier than ever to get a policy instantly today, allowing you to get yourself seen and looked after without having to worry about paying extortionate prices. Here’s some benefits that you should be aware of.

Quicker Diagnosis

Of course, with private medical insurance, you will have access to more private hospitals and other facilities that you may never have had before. For example, this could mean you can get seen sooner by a specialist doctor than you would be in public places. A quicker and more accurate diagnosis also means you will be able to get treatment quicker.

As you can see, this is a domino effect, where each step makes the next step quicker. Allowing you to recover quicker and in luxury at the same time. Private health facilities will also have less people inside, making it a less anxious place to be, if that was something that concerned you.

Faster Access to Treatment

One of the main pulling points of going private over public, is being able to get treatment sooner rather than later. That could be due to supply issues with public healthcare, or with more doctors freed up to help you sooner.

Treatment comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and you will be able to find a treatment plan that works for your schedule for either picking it up, or having it done to you. The main point of private healthcare is to speed up the medical process with more expert advice, so you will certainly be in good hands.

Freedom to Choose Your Hospital and Doctor

Private healthcare doesn’t just get you access to a facility, it gives you the freedom to choose somewhere that works for you. Whether you base that on location, reviews or the service provided, it will give you more choice than ever. Some private facilities may be focused on mental health, whilst others may be for physiotherapy.

Either way, you will be able to find a specialised doctor that will work with you to find the root of the problem, or continue to manage an issue.

You Can Pick the Appointments to Suit You

When looking to get treatment or just get seen in general, it can be difficult to find a time and date that suits your schedule. This could be due to work commitments or because of family matters, for example. Certainly, public hospitals are tricker with this, due to how busy they are. This means they may just be given a date and time and be expected to cancel everything else to be able to make it.

However, with private hospitals, you will have more freedom with sorting your appointments. Most private facilities will offer you the choice to pick appointments that are convenient for you.

More Privacy and Luxury

Private medical insurance means access to private medical facilities. These private hospitals are built with the patient in mind, meaning that they will have more privacy with their room, where they won’t have to share with strangers.

Not only are these rooms more private, but they have extra luxury with comfort and facilities. For example, they will have private en-suite bathrooms making it less awkward to get up and go toilet during your stay.

It Can be Difficult to Find the Right Provider

Of course, with all these benefits at the facilities themselves, it can actually be difficult to find the right insurer to cover your needs. Not only that, but also find policies and plans that will either cover what you need now, or in the future.

Fortunately, in 2021, there are multiple ways in which you can search for an insurer. You may find that the company that you work for actually has a private healthcare plan for all of their employees that you have been signed up for without even realising it. However, that’s not always the case, as this will only be a perk offered by businesses which may not be able to cater for everyone.

One way in which you could search for healthcare insurance is by using a compare site. These sites help sort through all the different insurers and policies to find one that matches your needs, either on an individual level or a group one.

Switch Health are one such company, who will help you along the way and provide advice on taking out a policy. They can still compare policies even if you have any pre-existing conditions, or offer discounts on any existing policies you have, saving the hassle on switching insurers.

You will Benefit from Wi-Fi and Private TV

In these facilities, you will be able to enjoy certain amenities that you wouldn’t find in traditional hospitals, such as Wi-Fi and TV. Of course, usually you could find these in a hospital, just at a poorer quality that costs extra. Essentially, you will be open to enjoy more luxury things with a private hospital, with the reassurance that you are covered.

The point of these amenities, which could include comfier beds and extra support throughout the hospital, is to make your stay as comfortable as possible. They understand how anxious a visit to a hospital can be, so aim to make you feel safe.

More Visits

With public hospitals, there are scheduled visiting slots, that mean friends and family can only visit at specific times throughout the day. For some, this is difficult to manage due to work, as they have commitments which mean they are not able to visit when they have time.

But with private hospitals and facilities, most will offer some form of unrestricted visiting hours for their patients. This means that they will be able to visit when they are free, providing they have access and pre-approval. This is a big boost for any patient who is staying at hospital as they may feel less anxious knowing that family and friends can stop by sooner rather than later.

Food Is Everything

Private hospitals also mean better quality of food. Normally, you may not actually be able to choose what food you’re offered in a public hospital, but with private, you will have an abundance of options to choose from. Of course, food in all hospitals will usually be good for you, but private hospitals will offer a range of freshly prepared and healthy meals , with more options at certain hospitals over others.

Your Consultant Will Get to Know You

With private healthcare coverage, you will have access to several different facilities and doctors/consultant. When you eventually pick somewhere to look after you, you will have a consultant who will get to know you.

Not only that, but they will be able to work with you over a period of a few years, meaning that they will learn more about you going forward and be able to treat you more effectively. With some public hospitals, whilst the staff are well-trained, you may end up being bounced around to different doctors on different visits. This means that you will have to reexplain your symptoms to different doctors, and slow down your treatment.