Seven (million) reasons for HR teams to consider employee private medical insurance

Employer health insurance means much more to your people than simply cost

We’ve all seen the clickbait headlines, generally featuring exclamation marks and laughably duff claims such as: “Exciting news for (your town here) seniors on funeral planning!!” Or, “Sensational new way to make a Will!!”

If you’re tempted to click on the breathless bot copy, you’ll find very little or, indeed, nothing to justify its claims, beyond having to scroll through ever more irksome ads.

I reference this phenomenon by way of affirming the authenticity and relevance of the source of the headline for this post.

1. As of October last year, there were, actually, 7.2 million people in England alone waiting for elective treatment on the NHS with 3.1 million waiting for more than four months and just over 400,000 looking at a year before their procedure takes place.

So what, you may be thinking. It’s not really news that the NHS remains under considerable pressure.

But where it does hit home is when it affects your workforce. Consider the impact if one of your colleagues were forced to wait months – even a year – before they could finally be treated? Their personal suffering, family concern and the ultimate effect it would have on your organisation is a risk which needs to be considered carefully.

Cover of this type now routinely includes online consultations with general practitioners within 48 hours as opposed to wrangling with a receptionist in the vain hope of landing a physical appointment he or she seems to have been tasked with preventing.

One major provider has seen calls soar from 2,000 a month before the pandemic to more than 40,000 with the isolation covid wrought demonstrating the effectiveness of a digital doctor dialogue as opposed to actually being able to physically visit one.

Staff can pay for treatment, ranging from physiotherapy and routine dental or optical procedures to a diagnostic consultation. They can then claim cash back up to a pre-set limit, shielding organisations from a financial commitment too far.

At number three in the list (below pensions and flexible working), its prominence, compared to the previous survey’s sixth position, reflects the concerns we see in the market. And it’s a principal reason employee private medical insurance continues to expand beyond the physical and surgical to those touchpoints which comprise the kind of wellbeing your people may be seeking.

An adviser experienced in navigating the market for private healthcare in the UK on behalf of corporate clients can make sense of what can be a bewildering number of choices and features in a highly competitive sector. Granted, not seven million but certainly enough to warrant a conversation.

Get in touch to find out how we can help your people and your organisation.