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Private medical insurance should be clearer about cancer cover
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buck private medical insurance providers have been criticised by Mercer and malignant neoplastic disease charity Cancerbackup for not offer enough transparence on malignant neoplastic disease insurance policies.
Entitled ‘natural covering Cancer: study of Corporate healthcare buck private Medical Insurance(PMI) providers', the study surveyed 11 major PMI supplier in the UK to assess each firm's main corporate medical insurance policies for malignant neoplastic disease. This covered issues such as the scope and criterion of cover, treatments included inside the cover, and bounds on cover.
Principal in Mercer's health and benefits team, Steve Clements, said: "One in three people in the UK will be diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease at some stage in their life. Some of the new and sometimes expensive treatments which are now emerging are, as yet, unavailable through the NHS. So, intelligibly, cancer cover is an area of focus for companies purchasing buck private healthcare.
"PMI supplier are using it to differentiate themselves from their rival. Whilst there have been substantial improvements, there is continued ambiguity over what is and isn't covered in some cases. Eligibility rules for chronic conditions, for illustration, can sometimes mean malignant neoplastic disease treatments will efficaciously be excluded or cut short. Transparence and lucidity must be improved."
He added: "New therapies are approach into the marketplace. Some of these will lead to long-term treatments where the goal is to slow the spreading of the disease, prolong life or improve the quality of life by moderation the symptoms, rather than to cure. PMI supplier must be clearer about whether or not these will be covered in their policies."
Most of the PMI supplier surveyed said they did not cover alleviant care or treatment for terminus cancer. Some, nevertheless, were less particular; instead of terminating cover when the malignant neoplastic disease reaches a certain stage, they apply eligibility rules to particular cancer treatments so they fall under the chronic rules and are therefore not covered. Most PMI providers did not actually define cancer as a chronic condition.
Head of cancer support services at Cancerbackup, Derryn Borley, said: "It's not imperative to buy the most expensive cover but there should be total clarity on what is and isn't covered.
"There should be clear and seamless mechanisms in place to transfer the treatment from private care into public care and back into private when necessary. Ultimately, the patients' treatment should not be compromised."
©Fair Investment Company Ltd
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