Private Health Insurance in the UK - What it covers and why...

[WhiskeyGirl]

The UK has a national health plan.  They spend very little on healthcare and there are problems.

So, folks are allowed to buy private insurance.  I was amazed at what was covered, not covered, and the fact that PRIVATE coverage brought peace of mind to many.

Private coverage appears to be for catastrophic illness, not daily expenses and long term illness.

Here is one such site-  http://www.beatthatquote.com/insurance/health-insurance.html

People who purchase PMI generally do so as it offers them immediate attention and peace of mind. Having a PMI policy means you will be able to access medical attention more quickly, should you experience health problems. This is because, as a private patient, you will not be affected by concerns such as NHS waiting lists.

Policies may cover in-patient treatment (where you stay overnight in hospital), day-patient treatment (where you might have a procedure performed and leave hospital on the same day) and out-patient treatment (treatments given at a hospital or a clinic where you do not need to go in for in-patient of day-patient treatment).

You may choose to take out a PMI policy which covers one or all of these types of treatment, depending on your needs and budget.

Treatment for 'chronic' conditions (long-term illnesses that are incurable) are generally not covered under PMI.

Health problems you already have at the time of taking out PMI (known as 'pre-existing conditions') and 'self-inflicted' illnesses and injuries (for example, problems that arise from dangerous hobbies or lifestyle choices) are also likely to be excluded from cover.

Where will Americans buy catastrophic policies to escape Obamacare?  Rationing?  Long lists?  The squander and waste government policies?

[WhiskeyGirl]

For a brief period I supported New Labour - not any more.
Gordon Brown's class warfare shows that he does not believe we have a choice. He condemns "the rich" as having private education and health insurance. I forego holidays and a car to have health insurance. When my children were young they had the benefit of primary private education and a state grammar school. A constant financial struggle but that is my choice.

- Georgette Behar, London, England

I have little time for Mandelson but he is right. Balls policy is just so crude - bribe the poor with even more benefits and they will keep voting for NuLabour come what may. Mandleson is rather more astute and realises that the country`s wealth creators are feed up with the sneers and jibes from Labour ministers, many of whom are far richer than the tory party. I think we have reached the tipping point where tax payers have lost patience with NuLabour particularly with their policies on immigration and the economy. Many voted Blair in for change - that has not happened. Instead the middle classes have been forced to pay time and time again for NuLabours social engineering. Browns policy of getting families out of poverty has resulted in millions more becoming reliant on benefits as their sole or main source of income. Because the minimum wage is now keeping wages artifically low, coupled with the, "top up," benefits policy people now find it does not pay to go into full time employment. So we have a class of stay at homes or do as little as possible so their benefits are not affected versus those who are doing their level best to get on in life; but are targeted by Brown as an easy target for everything. Like him or not (many don`t) Mandleson is more in tune with the middle classes. If Brown does not soon wake up to reality he and Balls are going to be seen as the boggy men for NuLabour. Their futures are definitely in his hands.

- Brian G, Norfolk Gorleston

my favorite -

It is well known Labour is run by Champagne socialists. They have run out of ideas, run out of time and run out of policies. It is a bit rich for these hypocrits to pretend to represent the working class. They abandoned the working class years ago and soaked the middle class. They have no core base left. Nobody believes then, their membership has collapsed and their funding suspect. Brown & Mandleson have successfully managed to cast Labour into the dustbin of history for the next 50 years. Sack Brown and his coterie of dysfunctional Ministers. Time for change. Time for a General Election.

- Bgarvie, Reading, UK.

Instead of Labour, sub 'Democrat' or 'Obamacrat'

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23788082-threat-to-gordon-browns-election-fight-as-lord-mandelson-and-ed-balls-feud-over-class-warfare.do