Provider: BCWA Healthcare Product: Preferential Private Health Cover. Preferential Private Healt...
Provider: BCWA Healthcare
Product: Preferential Private Health Cover.
Preferential Private Health Cover offers extensive private medical cover for treatment in the UK, with a wide range of additional benefits. It offers a choice of four scales of cover and provides benefits covering initial private consultations, through to specialist, hospital and after-care treatment.
Minimum acceptable age at commencement: 18
Maximum acceptable age at commencement: If under the age of 75 and resident in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man, a member may apply for enrolment.
Age cover ceases for existing clients: None
Maximum age for a dependant child to be covered: Unmarried children enrolled as dependants remain covered by membership up to the annual renewal date following their 21st birthday. BCWA will then offer to continue membership on discounted rates for young people without further evidence of health, provided the application is made no later than 21 days after the annual renewal date.
Children born after the date of enrolment and enrolled with BCWA within three months of birth will be accepted without evidence of health. No additional contribution will be payable until the annual renewal date following the date of birth. An application in writing must be made for the enrolment of a child.
Plan is fully underwritten: Yes
Optional excess available: Yes - a range of excesses give various discounts for this plan.
Discount given on health screening: Health screening - BCWA has negotiated special health screening discounts for individual or family members. A range of discount facilities are available throughout the country.
Discount given based on premium frequency: Annual premiums incorporate a discount of approximately 5%.
Discount given for any other reason: Yes - affinity rates.
Claims pre-authorisation service: Before arranging any treatment a claim form should be completed.
Claims settled direct with hospital: Bills are normally settled direct with the hospital. BCWA will not accept liability unless the prescribed claim form is duly completed and submitted to them within six months of the date of commencement of treatment. All bills supporting a claim should be sent to BCWA as soon as possible.
Number of hospital bands available: There are four hospital bands - A, B, C and D chosen from the Hospital Directory.
Select hospital list used : Yes - the Hospital Directory has been prepared by BCWA to identify the hospitals most likely to be used and to check the most appropriate cover for a person's needs.
Over 700 hospitals throughout the UK are listed in the Directory, the majority of which have specially negotiated arrangements with BCWA in respect of hospital room charges for BCWA members.
Inpatient treatment: Full cover is provided for nursing and accommodation (including intensive care), consultations, specialists fees, operating theatre charges, drugs and dressings, diagnostic techniques, CT MRI scans and all major/intermediate and minor operations and prosthesis, when implanted as an integral part of a surgical procedure.
Inpatient psychiatric treatment: Benefit in respect of private or NHS inpatient or day-patient treatment which is wholly or partly for psychiatric conditions will be restricted to a maximum of 28 days in the aggregate in any one year. Benefit will not be paid for any alcohol-related illness, drug or solvent abuse or any associated psychiatric condition.
Day care treatment: Full refund for a patient who undergoes treatment with admission to and discharge from the hospital on the same day. This includes:
• Accommodation and nursing (including intensive care).
• Operating theatre charges.
• Drugs and dressings prescribed for use while an inpatient or day-patient.
• Pathology, physiotherapy and diagnostic procedures.
• Prostheses, when implanted as an integral part of a surgical procedure.
Outpatient treatment: Full refund for specialist consultations, diagnostic tests, hemotherapy, CT scans and physiotherapy.
Alternative medicines: Full refund is payable for treat- ment given by an osteopath, chiropractor, acupuncturist or homeopath when a patient has been specifically referred by a specialist, but benefit will be limited to a maximum of £500 per person in any one year where referral is made by a GP.
Cash benefit on childbirth: £150 payable for each birth provided the mother has been enrolled for more than 12 months.
Cover for cost of ambulance services: Full refund if a private ambulance is needed to transport a planholder to and from hospital or between hospitals when the ambulance is required wholly out of medical necessity and in connection with eligible inpatient or day-patient treatment.
Cover for home nursing costs: Full refund for the full-time services of qualified resident or daily nurses while the member is a bed patient when prescribed by a specialist for medical as distinct from domestic reasons.
Worldwide and repatriation cover: Preferential cover benefits continue to apply while a member is travelling abroad either on holiday or on business.
Cover for costs of optical treatment: Surgical procedures only are covered.
Cover for costs of dental treatment: Full refund for an oro-surgical operation which is included in BCWA's Schedule of Operations.
Stresscare counselling available: There are a series of telephone advice lines to provide support and information 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no limit to the number of calls that can be made.
Medical information line - designed to provide information on various medical and healthcare matters. The information line can help explain any medical problems that a doctor has already diagnosed, or provide details of self-help groups. It also give information about doctors' clinics and treatment facilities if non-emergency treatment is needed while away from home.
Fitness, nutrition and medication line - qualified nurses can advise on many areas relating to staying healthy. If required, details can also be provided of national or local bodies or organisations that can provide further help and information.
Childcare line - developed to help if problems occur with the arrangements a member has made for their children. For example, Childcare line can contact a registered childminder, nanny or children's nurse as required and make arrangements for them to attend. Childcare line is only intended to help with emergency arrangements and not routine childcare.
Homecare line - often used in conjunction with the Childcare line, this can locate cleaning staff, au pairs, cooks and housekeepers.
Bereavement information line - provides guidance at a time of great personal distress. Practical advice can be given on obtaining a death certificate, registering the death and arranging the funeral.
Counselling service - this service offers access to a team of highly experienced and professionally trained counsellors, who will listen and help in exploring and clarifying pressing issues and difficulties. Sometimes the counselling process will suggest that further assistance or onward referral is appropriate and they can help select voluntary or professional services to address such needs. All counsellors uphold the British Association of Counselling Code of Ethics and Practice or Counsellors.
Maximum annual benefit amount: None
Website: www.bcwa.co.uk
