Bupa Business Mental Health Advantage
Bupa Business Mental Health Advantage
Bupa's Business Mental Health Advantage policy is designed to provide cover for mental health conditions to businesses and their employees.
The policy provides support and treatment for almost all long-term mental health issues, except for dementia and learning/behavioural development problems, which often affect people after and before their working life anyway.
Bupa’s existing mental health benefits and services, including a self-referral service (giving employees access to a specialist consultant without GP referral), are also included. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is available through Bupa's wellbeing and mental health support service.
The policy’s key features include:
- Extending the mental health conditions covered. All mental health conditions are covered, including conditions PMI insurers typically exclude such as alcohol and drug abuse. Included too is cover for mental health conditions, even if connected with a condition Bupa does not cover.
- No time limits on treatment for mental health conditions. This means employees can access medical treatment and support if their condition comes back.
- Ongoing support. Employees diagnosed with mental health conditions will be provided with help to manage their condition and to prevent worsening symptoms. If, for example, an employee’s treatment involves ongoing, daily medication, they will have regular reviews to ensure they are on the most effective and appropriate treatment. If there is a clinical need, employees can have a follow-up appointment with a consultant psychiatrist.
Comment: The Stevenson/Farmer review of mental health plus employer research suggests poor mental health costs employers between £33bn and £42bn a year - over £1,000 per employee each year. Mental health is now the most common reason for employees being off work, with around 70m working days lost each year.
Translating that into private medical insurance (PMI), Bupa says claims for mental health treatment have doubled over the past ten years. On many PMI policies, mental health cover is either limited or excluded. But that hides rather than solves the problem.
Mental health is now rightly big news and employers increasingly both recognise that and want to do something to help. High profile senior execs who have suffered mental health issues have helped get the message across not just that it can apply to anyone but also that sufferers can and do still perform at the very top too, given the right support and help.
Now, in a move that could open up a new area for PMI, Bupa’s new plan covers most mental health issues (dementia and learning/behavioural development problems excepted). That’s a very welcome development.
Plus points: A clear and positive response to growing concerns about mental health and the workplace; Comprehensive cover for most mental health conditions, even if connected with a condition not covered; Could this preface the start of a different approach to mental health from all PMI insurers?
Not so plus points: Excludes dementia and learning conditions (both of which employees can suffer from); An additional cost for employers; Mental health treatment can be very expensive and this will have a knock-on effect on premiums.
Website: http://www.bupa.co.uk.
Rating (max 10): Innovation: 9. Overall: 9. Platinum
Tags: PMI; Bupa