Healthcare and Private Medical COVID-19 information and FAQs

In January a number of “Surge notices” were issued to Private Hospitals in the most affected regions. Whilst these notices did not “block book” private beds in the same way as the summer, they did give notice that beds and non-covid services may be required by the NHS at short notice.

Currently it is not expected that any formal contracts will be re-established between the NHS and the Private Sector. However local arrangements may be put in place dependant on specific regional requirements.

Access to private treatment is uninterrupted by the current lockdown and as previously all elective care is available. Members should not delay seeking a consultation for any medical concern. Members have access to both face to face or remote initial consultations with diagnostics or imaging referred in the usual way.

At the current time, given COVID-19 is a public health emergency, it's appropriate that diagnostics and treatment of COVID-19 are conducted by or at the direction of the NHS. Testing and screening is therefore not covered under private medical insurance. COVID-19 tests that are required immediately prior to surgery as part of safety measures for approved private in-patient treatment will be covered.

Cover is not available for treatment of COVID-19 at private hospitals. Any included NHS cash benefits will extend to cover COVID-19 for any inpatient treatment at NHS hospitals.

Covid vaccinations are not covered under private medical insurance plans and are only available via the NHS. Individuals should wait to be contacted by the NHS in order to receive their vaccination.

The terms and conditions of private medical insurance for claims won’t be changing as a result of the NHS’s new measures, so GP referrals will still be required in most cases (other than for any treatment already accessible without GP referral, detailed in the policy). The easiest way to access a GP referral is through the remote GP. Virtual services do not require a GP referral.

Whilst instances of this happening should be rare, members should call the private medical insurer at the earliest opportunity to confirm the new arrangements and obtain the necessary pre-authorisation.

As a nation we will get through this crisis, but it is highly likely that the stress this virus will place on NHS services will create a lag in their ability to get back to ‘business as usual’. At this time employee access to private treatment will be both essential and invaluable.

We have seen a claims upturn when restrictions were lifted and nearly all insurers have now confirmed to keep renewal pricing, fair and sustainable for customers with renewal terms on a 'business as usual' basis. In practice, we therefore expect premiums to incur an inflationary increase which does not take account of the service disruption caused by COVID-19.

We would expect to see confidence in receiving medical treatment increase as the vaccination programme rolls out. This will lead to an increase in private treatments, some of which may be treatment that would have taken place in the Summer. There may even be an increase in numbers when compared to previous years as the sector catches up with delayed treatments.