Aviva Speedy Diagnostics
Good as the NHS is, it can still take weeks to see a specialist for a first (or subsequent) out-patient appointment. Around half those who have a first out-patient appointment then do not actually go on to need a hospital admission, so this can mean long and worrying waits for otherwise well people. Aviva’s new solution is Speedy Diagnostics, which offers the following benefits:
• Pays for out-patient diagnostic tests—specialist fees for consultations and for diagnostic tests as well as the cost of X-rays, scans and ECGs.
• Pays for day-patient or in-patient diagnostic tests—hospital charges for e.g. an endoscopy or removal of tissue for a biopsy, as well as specialists’ fees.
• GP helpline.
• Stress helpline.
Both the helplines allow an unlimited number of calls. Discounts up to 45% at a nationwide network of health and fitness clubs are also offered.
The plan does not cover treatment or tests/consultations once a diagnosis has been made, nor does it cover diagnostic tests ordered by a GP where there is no specialist referral. Tests relating to causes of infertility and sleep disorders are also not covered.
Five types of underwriting are available:
• Full medical underwriting (FMU).
• Continued medical exclusions (CME).
• Moratorium (mori).
• Continued moratorium (CMORI). That is, where an existing policy already had a moratorium operating and Aviva agrees to continue the rest of that moratorium period, rather than starting again.
• Medical history disregarded (MHD).
The plan pays 25% initial and 5% renewal commission. Premium rates are 70% cheaper than Aviva’s Healthier Solutions core cover that includes treatment costs.
Plus points: Helps avoid the first part of NHS queuing, and many people do not go beyond that stage anyway; Can reduce overall waits; Very low cost compared to ‘full cost’ PMI; GPs are more likely to refer a patient for tests if they have PMI than they would for an NHS-funded test, so some patients may have health problems diagnosed earlier in practice.
Not so plus points: Those who do need hospital treatment will then either have to go back into the NHS (unpopular with many NHS employees and there may be restrictions to discourage this) or to pay for treatment themselves (either in the UK or, perhaps at lower cost, abroad); Less cover than conventional PMI.
Website: http://www.aviva.co.uk/healthcarezone.
Rating (max 10): Innovation: 8. Overall: 7.5. Silver.