Commercial negotiations between BMI Healthcare,
the UK’s largest private hospital group, and Bupa, have resulted in a
three-year agreement with a view to providing long-term stability for patients.
The contract will provide continuity of care for
Bupa members who will be able to access private healthcare across the majority
of BMI Healthcare’s 70 strong hospital network. Three hospitals - BMI Gisburne
Park Hospital, BMI The Lancaster Hospital and BMI The Castle Consulting Suite -
remain out of network.
John Von Klemperer of BMI Healthcare says: “We
have worked hard to arrive at a solution that will allow us to continue to
deliver excellent quality care and to further invest in our hospitals to
provide improved facilities and new procedures for our patients. Throughout the
negotiations, both BMI Healthcare and Bupa were committed to providing
continuity of care for patients and regret any inconvenience, which may have
been experienced, by patients or consultants during this time. This marks the
beginning of a stronger working relationship between BMI Healthcare and Bupa;
one which will benefit private patients, the independent healthcare sector and
the healthcare sector as a whole. The UK faces a changing healthcare landscape,
which makes it important that Bupa members and other privately insured patients
are offered a greater range of high acuity services. This will take some of the burden off the NHS
as it faces a combination of increased demand and budget cuts.”
The lesson for all health insurers is that negotiations should be
conducted in private, not in public , as it does neither side , nor the
industry, any favours.
Private medical insurance news: 24 January 2012
