Homeopathic Heal Information - News about alternative medicine

Private Medical Insurance. Experimental Treatments Could Now Be Covered.

Private medical insurance policies can be very particular about what they do and don?t cover. For example, if you are insured with Bupa, then you will only be covered for experimental medical treatment if it is part of a bona fide medical trial or study. And Norwich Union Healthcare stipulate that treatment is only covered if it is considered to standard practice in the UK.

So what happens if your doctor recommends that the best course of action would be to have a newer type of treatment, rather than a long established standard procedure? For the sake of your health, you will probably be wanting to take your doctor?s recommendation. However, many private medical insurance policies simply do not allow for this.

The issue has come to light as a number of people have been recommended experimental treatment, only to find that the insurer will not cover it. These people complained to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who, in some cases, rules against the insurers. One of the treatments that has emerged as something that should be paid for is a new form of varicose vein surgery. Standard practice in the USA for the last five years, insurers in the UK were refusing to pay out until the FOS made their decision.

A type of larynx surgery which is performed by laser is also now to be insured, as is bladder surgery carried out by keyhole rather than through an open wound, and a new type of spinal treatment which means vastly reduced side effects.

However, the FOS has only been able to overturn insurer?s decisions on policies in which experimental treatments are not specifically stated in the policy as being excluded. The Ombudsman can?t do anything about those policies that do specifically exclude experimental treatments.

The FOS has pointed out that just because they have ruled against the insurers, it doesn?t mean they are endorsing specific types of treatment. They also said: ?If the policyholder has been advised by his or her treating physician that, in their particular circumstances, they should have a newer treatment instead of an established procedure, our general view would be that it could be unfair for the firm to turn down the claim entirely.?

As a result of these recent rulings, insurers may well reconsider how they deal with experimental treatments in their policies. Insurers say that they act in the best interests of their customers, and if they are asked to fund something that they consider to be against the best interests of the patient, then they will reject the claim. However, one insurer, WPA, has admitted that if the customer?s doctor does recommend a particular course of experimental treatment, and there is a very good reason why that treatment is better than any other, then they will pay out. Norwich Union Healthcare has already said that they will be reviewing their policies in the light of the FOS? rulings. As for Bupa, it has expressed concern that customers will be claiming for procedures or drugs that have not been fully tested in the UK.

At the moment, it?s a case of ?watch this space?. If you are thinking about getting private medical insurance, then keep this issue in mind when you choose your policy. It would be very frustrating to be recommended a treatment, and then find that you are not insured for it. Remember to check out the Internet first for the cheapest policies, most private medical insurance policies offer a lot of advice and information on which policy is best suited to you, which can be very useful with all the choice out there.

New and up to date articles from insurance explorer http://www.insurance-explorer.co.uk

Bach Flower Therapy
About this therapy
Bach Flower Essences Shop (German)
Bach Flower Essences Shop (UK)
Where to buy Original Bach Flower Remedies
Doc Nature - Bach Flower Remedies Advisor
How to use Bach Flowers
About Bach Flower Remedies & Essences
Dr Bach
Read more about the life of Dr Bach

MORE ARTICLES:

A Natural Alternative to Drugs For Pain Relief is Herbal Turmeric
Turmeric is widely used as a spice in Indian and other South Asian cooking It has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger, and while it is best known as one of the ingredients used to make curry, it also gives ballpark mustard its bright yellow color

Individual Health Problems Can Occur Through Poor Diet
These days, Corporate America is losing weight. Seriously. After the Enron scandal and compliance and immigration issues, corporate America is gearing up to fight a different sort of battle ? the battle of the bulge. And for the first time since any epidemic, individual health is gaining major concern. This is because big and small businesses, have come to realize that the individual health of their employees can have a major impact on their own financial health.

More Coffee Drinkers Than Ever Enjoy Newly Discovered Health Benefits; Caffe Sanora® a Cut Above with More Antioxidants than Green Tea
University lab testing shows premium organic Caffe Sanora coffee has more antioxidants in one cup than other premium Arabica coffee and most green teas.

Harness The Power Of RSS News Feeds For Your Marketing Strategies
RSS news feeds are a great form of communication in the viral marketing game, and when properly managed, these feeds can bring in significant internet traffic. The meaning of RSS is actually not very clear. RSS may stand for Really Simple Syndication while others believe its Rich Site Summary or Rich Syndication Standard. The creator of RSS directory is considered to be Netscape. It was released in March 1999 and is used to syndicate news or information and is usually associated with blogs because blogs use an RSS news feed to distribute their content. These RSS feeds are found in RSS directories where content is updated on a 24/7 basis.

New York Individual Health Insurance ? Coverage And Conditions
If you are a resident of New York and in need of health insurance, you can purchase individual health insurance plans directly from a health maintenance organization (HMO).

Stevia: Natures Alternative to Artificial Sweeteners
Due to the potential toxicity and unknown long term consequences of using artificial sweeteners, it is good to know that there is a safe alternative.Stevia is a slow release sweetener that can be used by those who don't want to use sugar or artificial sweeteners and who are sensitive to either.

Hair Loss: The Psychological Effect And Remedy
Hair loss in males, unless premature, is a normal occurrence and is normally referred to as ?male pattern balding.? Irrespective of its naturalness or the longevity of its existence, it makes males feel embarrassed no less. Hair loss causes a decline in positive self image and males start feeling inferior simply because their heads have lesser hair everyday. To put it differently, it starts affecting one's mind more than one's scalp.

Simple Secrets To Enhance Your Breast & Improve Breast Health
Simple secrets to improve your breast health, and enhance your breast at the same time! Medical experts recommend the following measures to best protect your breasts while maximizing your overall health:

Desktop News Ticker ? Things You Ought-To-Know Guide.
Your desktop news ticker automatically makes your computer desktop feel like Times Square. As silly as it may sound, but as a decision-making who is in charge of a large department in a rather successful corporation, I find that I like to keep up on in current events. The only problem is that I often do not have the time to read the newspaper. Oh sure, I get to listen to morning radio, and I do that every morning, but I've always been driven to success. A half an hour of radio news on the way to work might be enough for some people to feel connected to the world, but for me it barely even begins to make me feel in touch. For me, if I am not aware of all of the important things that are going on in every part of the world all day, right from...

Gift Card Scam Alert: The Biggest Gift Card Scams This Holiday Season Are NOT the Ones You Hear About in the News
ScamBusters.org warns that it's the little-known gift card scams that are actually the biggest threats this holiday season.

Health Matters - Chronic Madness
REPRINT REQUIREMENTS: You have permission to publish this article free of charge in your ezine, newsletter, ebook, print publication or on your Website if, and only if, it remains unchanged and you include the copyright, author information, and an active link to the author?s Website at the end of the article. You may not use this article in solicited or unsolicited commercial email.

Establishing a Health Plan
Health insurance plan is one of the most pleasing benefits you could offer your employees. Following are the several basic options for setting up a plan:

Hatley Campaign to 'Give Breast Cancer the Boot' Kicks Off Oct. 1; Benefits John Wayne Cancer Institute Breast Center at Saint John's Health Center
On October 1, Hatley will kick-off its "Give Breast Cancer the Boot" program benefiting the John Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) Breast Center at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) - Hatley will make a donation equivalent to 20 percent of all purchases made on its web site (www.hatleynature.com) to JWCI.

ElderTouch Health Brings Peace of Mind to Caregivers of Elderly Loved Ones
ElderTouch Health offers peace of mind to caregivers of elderly loved ones, ensuring that appropriate services are available and coordinated when needed. ElderTouch Health care managers, typically registered nurses, work with caregivers throughout the United States to help them navigate the complexities of the health care system and identify necessary and available care resources in their communities.

Acne Home Remedies: Several Acne Remedies To Try At Home
Acne is a problem that can be devastating to the people who have it, but there are many treatments available today However, if you don?t want to spend the money or you like home remedies, there are several great acne home remedies that are effective and easy to create and use