Why cancer cover is much more than just access to treatment

From prevention to diagnostics and support after treatment, Dr Keith Klintworth, 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, so it’s no wonder that cancer cover is 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 this time. However, what too often gets overlooked is the full breadth of support that is available through private medical insurance (PMI) for cancer patients.

Not only do these services provide additional reasons for a client to consider purchasing cover, they can potentially be lifesaving - and provide tangible value from day one of a plan.

Tailored treatment

When a client is diagnosed with cancer, it is vital they get access to the most effective form of treatment that is best suited to them. 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.

It’s therefore vital that a client diagnosed with cancer gets access to personalised treatment tailored to their individual needs. 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 members to avoid going to hospital during the pandemic.

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. For example, our clinical team, which keeps track of the latest trials, authorised around 40 new treatments in 2019¹.

Prevention rather than cure

Even before a PMI member has been diagnosed, a plan cannot only detect cancer early, it can even help prevent it. We’ve seen first-hand how an evidence-based programme which promotes and incentivises healthy behaviour can improve patient outcomes. Our data shows that members engaged with the Vitality Programme are at least 10% more likely to improve their health across key lifestyle factors, such as smoking, healthy eating and physical activity². Our data shows that higher engagement correlates to fewer cancer claims, as well as lower costs being incurred when a claim is made, indicating reduced severity and improved patient outcomes³.

Over and above prevention through encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, PMI can also give clients access to targeted screenings, such as for cervical and bowel cancer. It can also offer innovative healthcare at home services that can be used to check suspicious moles or other skin conditions using a smart phone.

Beyond screening, there’s also options such as self-referral to a fast-track diagnostic service created especially for breast cancer. This can provide consultations and examinations, as well as ultrasounds, mammograms, biopsies and cyst aspiration where required. Patients can be seen – and biopsy results returned – within a matter of days, with procedures taking place on the same day as consultations, cutting down agonising waiting times⁴. Adding to this, we’ve seen 80% of our members discharged on the same day after being given the all-clear⁵.

In the event that clients are identified as being a high risk of developing cancer, a PMI insurer can also cover the cost of preventative surgery in order to reduce the risk of it occurring at all.

Support after treatment

Cancer support should not end when treatment does. It’s crucial that members going through a cancer claim are fully supported by an experienced team of experts, who can talk them through their options and help them get the most from their plan. This is one of the reasons we introduced dedicated care consultants who will be the member's key contact for the entire duration of each individual claim, throughout their cancer treatment.

We have also partnered with a digital health oncology provider to provide a 12-week intensive programme focused on optimising a member's physical and mental health for those undergoing surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Following treatment, a range of supplementary support is also made available. This might involve additional counselling and physiotherapy as standard (over and above usual limits provided under an existing PMI plan)⁶.

Alongside this, if end-of-life care is sadly required, the need for financial support should not be forgotten, which is why enhanced palliative care and home nursing funding – as much as £1000 per day for up to 14 days - can ease the burden of unexpected costs.

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 to be higher than ever⁷, focusing on some of the journey with clients is only telling part of the story. It should always be about treating the person as a whole, not just the cancer.

VitalityHealth's Advanced Cancer Cover not only provides treatment to your clients once diagnosed, it offers preventative measures as well as special care and support throughout.
Find out more.

Sources:
1. Vitality data
2. The seven key lifestyle factors are physical activity, smoking, sleep, healthy eating, alcohol intake, BMI and mental health, according to Vitality data
3. Average cancer claims costs for highly active Vitality members are as much as 37% lower than for inactive members.
4. 3.5 days on average to book a consultation; biopsy results delivered in 5 days, Vitality data
5. Vitality claims data 2019-2021
6. Six sessions included as standard as part of a cancer claim, over and above usually limit of eight talking therapy sessions, with Vitality’s Advanced Cancer Cover
7. Increased demand for private medical insurance after Covid-19, Actuarial Post, 2019