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While the entire public health sector is accessible free of charge to nationals and eligible residents of the country, the lack of private-practice physicians and the saturation of public hospitals often lead patients to seek treatment in private facilities. In order to cope with the extremely high fees of this sector, which are entirely at the expense of the patient, supplementary health insurance becomes essential.
The UK health system, run by the NHS (National Health Service), guarantees all eligible residents completely free access to key healthcare services:
Consultations with an NHS approved general practitioner, which each insured person must choose
Consultations with specialist doctors referred to by the GP
Hospitalisation in public healthcare centres
Tests, examinations, etc.
Other care services are partially covered, where a portion is paid by the policyholder (except in cases of exemption), specifically:
Dental care (the policyholder’s portion being, for example, around £23 (US$30) for a consultation and £23 to £65 (US$30 to US$86) for descaling)
Vision care (the maximum reimbursement is £39 to £215 (US$51 to US$288), depending on the type of lenses and prescription)
Medicines, for which the policyholder pays a fee of about £9 (US$11) per prescription
> Good to know: All care provided in the private health sector is excluded from NHS coverage.
However, this social security service is only available to foreign residents on condition that they pay a specific contribution, called the Immigration Health Surcharge, of £624 (US$836) per year per adult and £470 (US$628) per child under 18. This rule is applicable to all expats, including EU nationals who choose to move to the UK as of 31/12/2020.
Both Britons and expats generally take out supplementary health insurance to cover out-of-pocket expenses and private-sector care.
A number of employers offer this extended insurance to their employees but beware of local insurers' contracts, as they may sometimes limit their coverage to only certain networks of health facilities.
Clearly, opting to take out supplementary international health insurance gives you access to a set of extended guarantees and services that are specifically adapted to the needs of expats.
Examples of reimbursements with MyHealth International COMFORT in relation to the cost of care in the UK in the private sector*.
*Reasonable costs in the private sector, APRIL International data 01/2022
Finding an NHS registered doctor who takes new patients is not easy in the UK (if you have difficulties, the NHS itself will decide which doctor you will be assigned), and getting a quick appointment with your care provider is often very challenging; both these circumstances often lead many insured persons to see doctors in private hospitals.
Another option is walk-in centres or urgent treatment centres (UTCs). These are multidisciplinary health structures staffed by doctors and nurses; they are often open for longer hours and are able to treat all primary ailments based on symptoms. Their consultations are completely free for NHS insured.
In terms of emergency hospitalisation or scheduled care, public hospitals are also generally saturated and have long waiting times. These shortcomings can be avoided by resorting to the country's private hospitals.
It only takes a few steps to join and start benefitting from your cover by tomorrow!
1. I look for the cover that suits my situation and choose my options.
2. I request a quote online and sign it electronically.
3. I download the Easy Claim app and take advantage of all my online services.
4. I can get a call back or chat at any time with an adviser.
