The Company currently provides access to a healthcare scheme for employees, currently with BUPA for most employees, but for C+W Agency employees this is currently with ‘Vitality’.
Any employee wishing to join the healthcare scheme should speak to HR for more information. Once you have 2 years’ continuous service, and at the next renewal date (1st July for BUPA and 1st September for Vitality), the company will fund your subscription charges.
1. BUPA EXCESS CHARGE
The company’s current BUPA healthcare scheme policy has a one off excess charge of £200 per person on the policy, per ‘treatment year’. Please remember that it’s the responsibility of the employee to pay any excess charges for the people listed on their personal BUPA policy.
We renew our BUPA scheme on 1st July each year, so a treatment year runs from 1st July to 31st June each year for BUPA members.
Please be aware that if an medical investigation/course of treatment straddles two treatment years, i.e. treatment starts 20th June and ends 20th July then there may be two excess charges to pay, one for each treatment year regardless of the fact that you are having one course of treatment.
2. TAX
You usually pay tax on the cost of the insurance premiums if your employer pays for your medical insurance – see here ‘Tax on Company Benefits’
3. HOW DO I ARRANGE TREATMENT WITH BUPA or Vitality?
Usually, you will need a referral letter from your GP recommending that you require treatment before you can contact BUPA/Vitality about private treatment via your policy. In some cases, or in an emergency, BUPA/Vitality can arrange for a medical expert to assess your medical condition over the phone. Once you have been given a reference number you can go ahead and arrange your appointment(s).
Do not arrange/attend any appointments without going through this approval process with BUPA/Vitality first or you may find that you are responsible for the treatment costs.
Contact number for BUPA is 0345 755 3322 (see their members’ website here>>)
Contact number for Vitality is 0345 602 3523 (See their members’ website here>>)
Please see HR if you have any questions and for further information.