Private Medical Insurance strain impacts customer experience
Since the global COVID-19 pandemic, more individuals are prioritising the need for dependable and accessible health care, with many opting for private medical insurance over the strained National Health Service (NHS).
Over the past few years, the increasing demand for healthcare services, coupled with budget constraints and a shortage in experienced professional healthcare workers, has placed immense strain on the NHS. In May of 2023, there were a reported 7.3 million patients on NHS waiting lists, a figure that has almost doubled from 4.4 million in February of 2020 (Simons, 2023). With the increased pressure and extended waiting times placed on NHS patients, many patients claim to feel forced into opting for private medical insurance to cover some or all of their treatments (Simons, 2023).
With this mass migration into the private medical insurance (PMI) system, many of the biggest names in medical insurance in the UK are struggling to keep up with demand as shown in a recent press release exposing claim wait times exceeding 90 minutes (Browne, 2023). While many may assume that a larger company is better able to manage the pressure of copious amounts of claims, this does not always translate to efficient and effective treatment of its members.
With the shift towards PMI, an increase in policyholders has placed an increased pressure on customer service for seamless claims processing, delays in which are leading to increasing customer dissatisfaction. These delays are leaving customers frustrated and anxious, especially when they require urgent medical attention and are again at the mercy of a service that is experiencing major delays.
What is the Healix difference?
At Healix, we are a flexible alternative solution to private medical insurance offering our clients an experience tailored to their direct needs and the needs of their staff. As we are not an insurer, and focus solely on administering healthcare trusts, we are experts in this space.
Through a flexible Healix healthcare trust, we offer our clients the ability to customise their healthcare experience and focus on the needs of their team. Our focus is therefore not just on managing costs, but on supporting members when they need help and ensuring the rules of the trust are adhered to.
As a bespoke service, we can replicate existing cover as well as include new and innovative treatments so that our clients are kept up to date on market trends to further build the benefits that suit their unique requirements into their trust.
Within our claims team we have one of the highest ratios of nurses to claims assessors in the sector. Our focus on nurse-led management of care enables us to provide exceptional, personalised, and clinically trained member services to our clients.
Seamless claims processing and approvals – are completed as soon as you connect with one of our friendly claims processors.
Even while offering a more flexible and bespoke service than other big names in the private medical insurance space, the average wait time for Healix claims calls is under two minutes – that’s less time than it takes to make a good cup of tea.
Works Cited
Browne, R. (2023, July 31). Exclusive: Aviva reviews PMI growth plans and apologises as it tackles long call wait times. Retrieved from Health & Protection: https://healthcareandprotectio...
Simons, G. (2023, February 27). Brits going private and changing work due to high NHS wait times – ONS. Retrieved from Health & Protection: https://healthcareandprotectio...
Simons, G. (2023, May 18). Coping with booming demand for individual PMI as healthcare moves up hierarchy of needs – analysis. Retrieved from Health & Protection: https://healthcareandprotectio...