What Else Is There Besides Bupa?

[dance2trance]

I watch the ads for BUPA but wonder what they are competing against? I don't think there are any other private health insurers. And if it is the NHS they are fighting then that is quite frightening I think.

[black_cat51]

how so? There are loads of providers. And the more people that go private, means theres more space on the NHS for those that cant

[Buenchico]

BUPA is unusual in the private health care field as it's run on a not-for-profit basis and it operates its own hospitals.

However there are lots of other health insurance services, such as those run by Axa, Aviva, WPA and PruHealth.

Some people like the idea that there's a private health market in this country (running alongside the NHS) , while other don't. However it's a simple fact that people paying for private health care (whether through BUPA or any other provider) benefits the NHS, as those people are still paying for NHS care (through their taxes) but not using it, thus freeing up resources for other people.

[Prudie]

Most of the doctors and surgeons operate in the both private and NHS at the same time so don't see why they are fighting.

[boxtops]

There a re loads of other private health insurance companies. It's not unusual these days for the NHS to contract with private services to deliver patient care which the NHS doesn't have capacity for - there's no competition as such. Every private patient relieves the NHS of having to do it, and lots of employers offer private medical care as part of their employment T&Cs.

[pixie373]

I agree- any pressure that can be taken off the NHS helps everyone.

[Sycamore3House]

I worked for a company for 15 years and we had private health cover. When I needed major surgery I mentioned this to the consultant & he told me that if I went private he would still do the op but he said the aftercare for my particular op was non existent in the private health field and advised me stay on NHS but my OH had various hernia and different bits fixed of the private scheme.