Recent findings from The Royal College of Radiologists that cancer patients are facing worsening delays and compromised care – with half of all NHS cancer units now reporting frequent delays for radiotherapy and chemotherapy [1]– is worrying news for us all. So how can we be sure that the health insurance we have will give us the help we need if we or a family member is diagnosed? And how do we make sure we choose the right policy in the first place?
According to the latest statistics, one in two people in the UK born after 1960 [2] will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime, making the latest figures on treatment delays deeply concerning. The Royal College of Radiologists itself warns that “for some cancers an extra wait of a month can make a 10% difference to survival rates”
So how does private health insurance affect you if you are diagnosed with cancer, and can one policy provide better cover than others?
According to the health and life insurance comparison specialist, Usay Compare, while policies and cover vary, health insurance policies can cover all types of cancer. Private healthcare, they say, never competes with the NHS, it complements and works hand-in-hand with it, but private treatment for cancer can give you shorter waiting times, a choice of hospitals and a wider range of better medicines and treatments – some of which are unavailable on the NHS.
In fact, you can tailor your private medical insurance to integrate more or less within the NHS. We look below in more detail about how health insurance can ease your worries around cancer – and how to tailor the best insurance policy for your circumstances. There is also an offer of two months’ free cover if you click on the link at the end.
Can the lifestyle you lead affect how much you pay for health cover?
According to Cancer Research UK’s latest stats, around four in 10 UK cancer cases every year could be prevented: that’s more than 135,000 every year.
Health Insurance policies vary, but they all have their own individual ways to encourage and motivate you to live healthier lives – such as rewards for healthy food choices, discounted gym memberships or support for quitting smoking. It’s worth making sure that if you’re taking positive steps then you are being financially encouraged to do so.
How about preventative treatment?
Some policies will pay for procedures to prevent further cancer if you have already been treated for cancer – for example Aviva would pay for a mastectomy to a healthy breast in the event that you’ve been diagnosed with cancer in the other breast.
Getting an early cancer diagnosis
Early diagnosis is critical with cancer. Survival rates (people who live for five years or more) are up at 90% or above [5] for common cancers such as bowel, breast and ovarian cancer – IF they are caught at the earliest stage.
Putting your mind at ease can be much more straight forward with health insurance. Most offer online or phone-based consulting – for example, Bupa have a “cancer symptoms direct access call line”, with trained advisers to take you through an assessment over the phone and – depending on your health insurance cover and nature of your symptoms, this could include referring you for an appointment with a consultant there and then.
Most also have a Digital GP service where you could arrange a video call from the comfort of your own home – and even within the same day in some cases.
Getting treatment quickly
Treatment without delay is as crucial as a quick diagnosis. One of the most valued benefits of health insurance is getting seen quickly.
Health insurance can also provide access to breakthrough cancer drugs and treatments, often before they are available on the NHS. As well as access to the private network of specialist cancer centres, hospitals and consultants, some policies also cover the option of chemotherapy treatment delivered in the comfort of your own home. If the cancer becomes untreatable, palliative care at home is often included in policies too.
Choosing the right policy
When selecting the level of cancer cover you would like and which is within your budget, the options are generally as below:
- Cancer cover is included within the core cover. Treatment will be covered by your in- and day-patient cover
- Full cancer cover add-on. This will cover all diagnosis and treatments of cancer without limits.
- Advanced cancer drugs. This will give you access to experimental trial drugs that have been shown to be effective but are not normally available via the NHS.
Provided you have cancer cover in your core cover or as an add-on, you would be able to have CT, PET, MRI scans and any specialist consultations. Once you’ve received a diagnosis you can then begin to receive treatment under your policy.
Your policy will cover all in- and day-patient treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and out-patient consultants in full. This means that whether you need an operation, or the latest drugs and radiotherapy treatment, your insurer will cover these costs. The good news is that even if you’ve opted to reduce your out-patient cover, when it comes to cancer treatments your insurer will generally remove your limitations and cover you in full.
Choosing the right cover for you
Levels of cover, what’s included and what’s not, do vary between insurers and policies. That means it’s always a good idea to seek advice regarding which health insurance policy suits you best. Usay Compare’s expert advisers are available on the end of the phone to do all the hard work for you. They will get to know you and your requirements in depth before comparing all the leading insurance companies to find the policy to suit you and your budget.
Two months free* health insurance when you take out a policy through RetireEasy
We have joined forces with leading health insurance comparison service Usay Compare, who are offering our readers two whole months FREE cover (*as cash back) when you arrange a new Health Insurance policy through them.
has an “excellent” ranking on Trustpilot with over 10,000 positive reviews and counting. Usay’s market-leading comparison service consists of expert and professional advisers supporting you with unbiased advice to find the best policy that will best meet your budget and suit your needs. They compare all the UK’s leading insurers, including BUPA, AXA, and AVIVA, and can help you make major savings on premiums and even offer a price match guarantee.
Just click below to get that money-saving quote.
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/risk#heading-Zero
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/risk#heading-One
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-symptoms/why-is-early-diagnosis-important
