Private hospitals may be charging insurers over the odds for clients' treatment By Rachel Williams ...
Private hospitals may be charging insurers over the odds for clients' treatment
By Rachel Williams
Western Provident Association (WPA) has accused private hospitals of charging health insurers a third more than they would non-insured self-paying patients for some treatments.
WPA used an example of a cataract procedure on which it would typically expect to be charged £3,171 per policyholder, while BUPA's Harpenden hospital charges self-paying patients £1,495 - a difference of £1,676.
WPA also pointed out that it would typically be charged £8,457 for a hip replacement at a BUPA hospital. It said the self-pay price from BUPA Chalybeate Hospital in Southamption is £5,700, a difference of £2,757.
"This is a blatant commercial abuse of people who pay for health insurance and no one will benefit in the long term," said Julian Stainton, chief executive at WPA.
WPA has launched an initiative permitting policyholders to have lower priced self-pay operations. All WPA patients will now be given the option to pay themselves, the cost of which WPA will fully reimburse in addition to a cash benefit amounting to 50% of the difference between the two rates.
BUPA said that the cataract example given by WPA is an exceptional case. "The consultant in this case is charging a lower rate because he is keen to reduce waiting lists in the area. He realises that there is a problem with NHS waiting lists and this is his initiative with the hospital to help those who do not want to wait and can afford to pay something," said Alan Rustad, head of business communications at BUPA. He emphasised that not all consultants would be charging this lower rate.
Rustad added that there would always be a degree of price variation on treatments because healthcare is not a commodity product. He said: "Rates are determined by local conditions, the economics of the hospital, consultant charges, and the health of the patients."
Les Curson, general manager at Clinicare, said costs for self-pay patients, such as bed charges and theatre fees, which would not depend on the individual should be disclosed. He said: "We have these charges agreed with BUPA hospitals for Clinicare members and we want to see a similar list for the rates paid by the person on the street."
