Last month, a dead signed between the UK’s National Health Services (NHS) and the private health sector to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic will allow the former to conduct emergency operations and cancer treatments. These operations and treatments may have helped in smooth recovery in the absence of the pandemic, media reports said.
Against this background, healthcare insurers are forced to add value to the existing policies. Association of Medical Intermediaries and Insurers (AMII) Chair Stuart Scullion informed the policy holders that they will still hold benefits from the cover. He also urged them to avoid cancellations, media reports said.
In fact, it is reported that a few private medical insurers (PMIs) are extracting existing NHS cash benefits to help coronavirus patients. That said, a few others are building additional benefits to their offerings for all patients and not just exclusive to Covid-19.
AXA PPP healthcare, for example, has introduced a clinical support centre to provide customers access to specialist consultations during these extraordinary times. Tracy Garrad, AXA PPP healthcare CEO, told the media, “We fully support the partnership between the NHS and private hospitals and the need to support the most vulnerable. These are extraordinary times and they require extraordinary solutions. Today, we are announcing a series of new commitments and services to enable us to continue to support our members through these challenging times.”
It is reported that a group of practitioners will be available on phone video or online to help patients at this time. The group comprises cancer, cardiology, ENT, gastroenterology, gynaecology, orthopaedic and paediatric specialists.