Chris Steele, founder and editor of myTribe Insurance, a private health insurance and healthcare consumer information website, told The Epoch Times that the NHS is the “closest thing we’ve got to a national religion” and people feel very loyal towards it.
“But at the same time, if you look at the current backlog, 7.6 million people are waiting for treatment in England,” he said.
“I think although there is this overall national pride and strength of feeling towards the NHS, there’s a very high probability that you know somebody that’s currently in the NHS system and the probability is that they’re having some problems,” Mr. Steele said.
“I would love the NHS to be working really well as well. I think that’d be great for the UK but the sad truth is that it’s not, there are many people that are having to wait for extended periods of time for treatment,” he added.
Bupa noted its UK operation added more than 250,000 net customers across PMI, health trusts, dental and cash plans in the first six months of 2023, taking its total membership to 3.3 million.
The insurer also revealed its decision not to complete a second Covid refund, which had previously been earmarked to potentially reach £71m, as it was seeing deferred claims presenting and expected this to continue into next year.
“UK Insurance profit was temporarily increased by the release of the return of premium provision (£59m) in response to deferred claims costs, a significant proportion of which are now expected to arise later in 2023 and into 2024 following evidence of increased deferred claims in the first half of 2023,” it said.
Explaining why it had identified the increased claims as Covid-related, Bupa told Health & Protection: “We know that some treatments were delayed during the pandemic such as musculoskeletal surgery, and we are now seeing these catch up again.
“We’re also seeing later stage cancer cases emerging which need higher levels of treatment. In line with our Cancer Promise, we’re helping customers access the care they need which includes the very latest drugs and treatment.”
It added: “Claims were higher than expected in the first half of the year from our renewing customers.