Dr Arun Thiyagarajan: Three ways cancer cover is expanding

From prevention to diagnostics and support after treatment, Dr Arun Thiyaragajan, Managing Director, VitalityHealth, unpacks the breadth of support on offer for cancer patients through private medical insurance.

According to the NHS, one in two people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime ¹, so it’s no wonder that cancer cover remains one of the key reasons why people take out health insurance.

Fast access to treatment when it is needed is understandably going to be a top priority for many clients, especially at a time when pressure on NHS cancer services remains high ². However, what often gets overlooked is the full breadth of support that is available through private medical insurance (PMI) for cancer patients.

With an increasing emphasis on both prevention and early intervention, as well as pre-treatment support or ‘pre-hab’, here are three ways in which PMI can offer comprehensive cancer care before, during and after treatment.

Annual health checks and more in-depth health assessments meanwhile help to provide a detailed understanding of broader health metrics and as we heard in the case of Vitality member James, these assessments can be a life saver in detecting cancer earlier.

Health checks can also offer appropriate personalised health recommendations and support to manage key risks, which could increase the risk of cancer. Our weight management pathway for, available through Vitality Next Best Action for members who are obese or suffer from weight-related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, also now provides qualifying members with discounted access to medications Wegovy and Mounjaro.

Tailored treatment

When a client is diagnosed with cancer, it is vital they get access to the most effective form of treatment that best meets their individual needs. Depending on how serious it is, the support needed will vary. It might include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, with or without surgery. Some will require reconstructive surgery, alongside other forms of biological therapy – perhaps even stem cell or bone marrow transplants.

Hospitals can use the latest tests to decide the most appropriate course following diagnosis, and this is where PMI can provide comprehensive coverage. Then there’s the recent emergence of remote forms of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy at home, which have played a key role in allowing people to receive treatment in a more comfortable and familiar setting.

It is also worth bearing in mind that PMI can be a route to cutting-edge treatments not yet available on the NHS. New medical techniques are approved by independent organisations before they can be prescribed by doctors, and where clinically appropriate these can be accessed through certain health insurance plans.

Of course, the true test of any of this is when a member actually makes a claim. We’ve already heard about James, who describes the cancer nurse from Vitality as “tremendous”. He adds, “I was able to see the consultant and ask relevant questions. I didn’t have to turn to ‘Dr Google’, and I felt a lot more in control”.

Vitality member Nicky meanwhile describes this feeling like she’d been “wrapped in cotton wool”. “There was no stress involved, no worry, no anxiety, no waiting. I had my results, and I knew what was going to happen next,” she adds.

It’s clear from the amount of cancer support on offer - over and above treatment – that health insurance today can be far more than just cover. With interest in PMI likely higher than ever7, focusing on some of the care with clients is only telling part of the story. It should always be about the complete end-to-end journey, before, during and after treatment.