Fears over superbugs, such as MRSA and C.difficile, and general hospital cleanliness are driving demand for private medical insurance (PMI), according to new research from Bupa.
In its 2008 Health of the Nation survey of 1,062 face-to-face interviews, Bupa found that hospital cleanliness still tops the list of concerns with almost three quarters of those surveyed citing clean hospitals as a key reason for buying PMI. Faster access to specialists and no waiting lists are high on the list of reasons. Stephen Flanagan of Bupa, says: "It is good to see that more people are seeing the benefits that PMI offers, with access to drugs and treatments not widely available on the NHS becoming increasingly important."
Top ten reasons for taking out PMI:
|
Clean hospitals
|
73%
|
|
Faster access to specialists
|
62%
|
|
No waiting lists/less pain
|
61%
|
|
No waiting lists/faster recovery
|
61%
|
|
Able to see same consultant
|
59%
|
|
Better quality treatment/advice
|
59%
|
|
Able to choose location to suit me
|
54%
|
|
See specialist at time to suit me
|
52%
|
|
No waiting lists/faster return to work
|
50%
|
|
Hospital more comfortable
|
50%
|
Private medical insurance: News update: August 2008
