SecureHealth Ultimate 6 individual

Transcription

1 SecureHealth Ultimate 6 individual Membership handbook What you need to know October 2011

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3 Contacting us While it is important that you read and understand this policy handbook, we understand that it is often easier to call us to obtain information so we have a team of Personal Advisers to help you. You should always call them on when you need treatment so we can help you to understand the extent of your cover before you incur any treatment costs. Quick reference guide for important information SecureHealth Customer Helpline Available: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm Saturday 9am to 5pm. Health at Hand Available: day or night, 365 days a year. Our health information service. See page 42. Overseas emergency control centre +44(0) Available: day or night, 365 days a year. We may record and/or monitor calls for quality assurance, training and as a record of our conversation. We are committed to giving customers access to our products. To contact us by Text Relay on any of the numbers listed in this handbook just prefix the number listed with For example, our team of Personal Advisers can be contacted by Text Relay on and Health at Hand can be contacted on If you would like to receive this handbook or any other of our literature in a large print, audio (CD or tape) or Braille format, please contact us. 1

4 Contents 1 Introduction Your cover Benefits tables and Modules Arranging treatment and making a claim What do I need to do before I receive treatment? What happens if I require emergency treatment? Existing medical conditions Am I covered for treatment of medical conditions that I had prior to joining? Your cover for certain types of treatment Will my policy cover me for preventive treatment? What other treatments are not covered? Will my policy cover me for new or experimental treatments? Childbirth, pregnancy and sexual health Recurrent, continuing and long-term treatment Will my policy cover me for recurrent, continuing or long-term treatment? Where can I find out more about cover for chronic conditions? What cover do I have for psychiatric treatment? Your cover for cancer treatment Where you are covered for treatment Which hospitals and day-patient units do I have cover for? What happens if I choose to have treatment at a hospital which is not in the Directory of Hospitals? Where can I receive eligible oral surgical and cataract surgical treatment? Who we pay for treatment What services provided by specialists, complementary practitioners, clinical practitioners and physiotherapists are eligible for benefit? Will treatment charges be met in full? Overseas assistance services What assistance is available if I fall ill overseas? Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

5 12 Health at Hand Module 6 Routine optical and dental cover Additional information When can I add other members or change my cover? How can I pay my premium? Why do you make changes to my premiums? I have an excess on my policy how does this work? How does the no claims discount scale operate? Complaint and regulatory information What should I do if I have reason to complain? What we do with your personal data Legal rights and responsibilities Glossary Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

6 1 Introduction What is the purpose of this handbook and how to use it? This handbook sets out the terms of your cover for the SecureHealth Ultimate 6 plan. If you are unsure of which particular Modules you have, please refer to your membership statement. This handbook is an important document as it details: the cover you have (both benefits and limitations); how to make a claim; how your policy is administered; and other services provided by your policy. Throughout your handbook certain words and phrases appear in bold type to indicate they have a special medical or legal meaning. You will find a glossary of these words on page 55. Additionally, when we refer to you or your throughout this document, we mean the policyholder and any family members named on the policyholder s membership statement. When you see we, us or our we are referring to AXA PPP healthcare. Most of the information given is relevant to all Modules. However, there are instances where information is not relevant to all Modules. Where this occurs, we have drawn your attention to which Module we are referring to as follows: When a sentence or paragraph starts with a Module name and is in this colour, it means that the information given relates only to the Module stated. 4 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

7 2 Your cover Please remember that our policies are not intended to cover all eventualities and are designed to complement rather than replace all the services provided by the National Health Service (NHS). In return for payment of the premium we agree to provide cover as set out in the terms of this policy. Please refer to the definition of policy in the glossary for details of the documents that make up your policy. Summary of the SecureHealth Ultimate 6 Plan The SecureHealth Ultimate 6 policy offers you cover for necessary treatment of new medical conditions that arise after you join. It does not cover you for treatment of medical conditions that existed, or you had symptoms of before joining. However, in some circumstances you may have joined on a different basis, please refer to the Existing medical conditions section for further information. There is also no cover for ongoing, recurrent and long-term conditions (also known as chronic conditions). SecureHealth Ultimate 6 is a modular private medical insurance policy, so you may choose the Modules that you require. The core benefits are described as Core cover which includes cover for: in-patient and day-patient treatment and associated specialists charges out-patient surgical procedures cancer treatment, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans In addition you may have chosen additional Modules and these will be shown on your membership statement. Details of each Module can be found in Section 3. 6 Week Option plans This is a 6 Week Option plan, therefore, if the NHS can give you the hospital treatment you need within six weeks of the date on which the treatment should be undertaken, then you must use the NHS. Please see page 7 for more information. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

8 Be aware: Your policy will not cover you for: Routine pregnancy and childbirth Page 25 Charges when treatment is received outside of our Directory of Hospitals For more information: Page 35 Any dental procedures. Page 22 Urgent or emergency treatment Page 16 The key limitations listed below also apply if you have Core Cover only. Please refer to your benefits table for details of how your benefits may have been extended to cover some of these items. Your policy will not cover you for: Out-patient diagnostic tests and out-patient consultations Page 22 Out-patient complementary practitioners or clinical practitioners charges (including physiotherapy) For more information: Page 37 Psychiatric treatment Page 29 Please note: We will pay eligible fees in full when a specialist, complementary practitioner, clinical practitioner or physiotherapist charges up to the level within our published schedule of procedures and fees. Please see the Who we pay for treatment section of this handbook for full details. 6 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

9 3 Benefits tables and Modules The tables on the following few pages show the benefits available to you together with the monetary limits of your policy. These benefits are explained fully in this handbook. You must read these tables in conjunction with the rest of your handbook. Please make sure you call us on prior to treatment so we can confirm the extent of your cover and any limitations that may apply. This policy will cover the costs of in-patient or day-patient treatment, or any surgical procedure if the NHS could not provide treatment within six weeks after the date on which the treatment should be undertaken. The only exceptions to this provision are shown in the following paragraph (immediate cover) and if you have day-patient or out-patient radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Immediate cover: We will pay as per Benefit 1 in the benefits table for the surgical procedures shown below whether or not the patient could obtain treatment as an NHS patient within six weeks after the date on which the treatment should be undertaken: varicose veins surgery tonsillectomy insertion of grommets removal of bunions (hallux valgus) removal of gall bladder (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) haemorrhoidectomy adenoidectomy correction of squint cataract surgery. There is no benefit available for urgent or emergency treatment or if the NHS could provide in-patient or day-patient treatment, or a surgical procedure within six weeks after the date on which treatment should be undertaken. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

10 Core Cover Benefits In-patient and day-patient treatment 1. Private hospital and day-patient unit charges. Including charges for accommodation, diagnostic tests, operating theatre charges, nursing care, drugs and dressings, physiotherapy, and surgical appliances used by the specialist during surgery. Amount payable Paid in full at a private hospital or day-patient unit listed in the Directory of Hospitals. For more information on the above please see: Page Private hospital and day-patient unit charges for day-patient treatment of radiotherapy (the use of radiation to treat cancers) and chemotherapy (the use of drugs to treat cancers). Paid in full at a private hospital or day-patient unit listed in the Directory of Hospitals. For more information on the above please see: Page Out of directory cash benefit. This benefit is payable if you receive private in-patient or day-patient treatment at a hospital or day-patient unit not listed in the Directory of Hospitals. 150 each day for day-patient treatment. 250 each night for in-patient treatment. For more information on the above please see: Page Specialists fees. (Surgeons, anaesthetists and physicians ). No annual maximum. For more information on the above please see: Page In-patient consultations. Benefit for a consultation with a second specialist arranged by the treating specialist. No annual maximum. For more information on the above please see: Page 37 Out-patient treatment 6. Surgical procedures. No annual maximum. For more information on the above please see: Page Cancer treatment, including charges for No annual maximum. radiotherapy (the use of radiation to treat cancers) and chemotherapy (the use of drugs to treat cancers). For more information on the above please see: Page 30 8 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

11 Core Cover Benefits 8. (i) Computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). (ii) Out of directory scanning cash benefit. This benefit is payable for using a CT, MRI or PET facility not listed as a scanning centre in the Directory of Hospitals. Amount payable Paid in full in a scanning centre listed in the Directory of Hospitals. 50 each visit. For more information on the above please see: Page 35 Other benefits 9. NHS cash benefit. This benefit is paid for each night you receive free treatment under the NHS and only if: (i) you are admitted for in-patient treatment before midnight (ii) the treatment you receive under the NHS would have been eligible for benefit privately under this policy. There is no requirement for private treatment to have preceded any period in an NHS Intensive Therapy Unit or NHS Intensive Care Unit. 250 a night up to 2,000 a year for in-patient treatment. 150 a day up to 300 a year for day-patient treatment. For more information on the above please see: Page Ambulance transport. When you are receiving private in-patient or day-patient treatment and it is medically necessary to use a road ambulance to transport you between a hospital and another medical facility. Paid in full. 11. Day-patient and out-patient NHS radiotherapy 50 a day up to 2,000 a year. and chemotherapy cash benefit. This benefit is paid for day-patient or out-patient radiotherapy or chemotherapy you receive free under the NHS for the treatment of cancer and only if the treatment you receive under the NHS would have been eligible for benefit privately under this policy. For more information on the above please see: Page 30 Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

12 Core Cover Benefits 12. Hospital-at-home. This is for treatment provided at home or another clinically appropriate setting for the administration of intravenous chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer or intravenous antibiotics which otherwise would require you to be admitted for in-patient or day-patient treatment. 13. Overseas evacuation or repatriation service. Evacuation and repatriation costs. Immediate emergency in-patient treatment received while travelling abroad which relates to an evacuation or repatriation we have arranged for you. Amount payable Paid in full when treatment: is provided by a nurse under the control of a specialist; and is provided through a healthcare services supplier which we have a contract with for such services; and has been agreed by us before the treatment begins. Paid in full. Up to 40,000 a year. For more information on the above please see: Page Health at Hand. Confidential medical information. Immediate access 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For more information on the above please see: Page 42 Excess information Excess for each person covered by this policy each year: Excess Excess Excess Excess 4 1,000 Excesses do not apply to the following benefits: NHS cash benefit. Day-patient and out-patient NHS radiotherapy and chemotherapy cash benefit. Overseas evacuation or repatriation service. Optical cover if you have Module 6. Eye test if you have Module 6. Dental cash benefits if you have Module 6. If you make a claim that incurs an excess, and the total cost of the treatment falls entirely within your excess, you must still tell us so that we can apply the excess to your policy correctly. 10 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

13 Module 1 Out-patient consultations and diagnostics Benefits Out-patient treatment Level A 1. Specialist consultations. Please note: your claim will be based on the date it is paid by us, rather than the date the treatment is received. This means that the consultations paid under this benefit may not be the first three consultations carried out. Amount payable Up to three specialist consultations per person per year. 2. Diagnostic tests on specialists referral. No annual maximum. For more information on the above please see: Page 37 Level B 1. Specialist consultations. 2. Diagnostic tests on specialists referral. 3. Clinical practitioner charges. These benefits have a combined overall limit of 1,000 a year. For more information on the above please see: Page 37 Level C 1. Specialist consultations. 2. Diagnostic tests on specialists referral. No annual maximum. 3. Clinical practitioner charges. For more information on the above please see: Page 37 Module 2 Therapies cover Benefits Amount payable 1. Complementary practitioners charges. No annual maximum. 2. Physiotherapist charges. We will pay for up to an overall maximum of ten sessions of treatment a year for GP referred physiotherapy and/or complementary practitioner treatment. Any further physiotherapy and/or complementary practitioner treatment must be under the control of a specialist. For more information on the above please see: Page 37 Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

14 Module 3 Additional benefits Benefits 1. Recuperative care. This is to cover the services of: (i) a nurse for secondary nursing care; or (ii) a care assistant for the following personal care services: Household duties washing cooking cleaning shopping general household chores preparing meals. Help with personal hygiene washing and bathing eating and drinking dressing and undressing using the toilet. 2. Parent accommodation. This benefit is for the cost of one parent staying in hospital with a child under 14 years old while the child is receiving eligible private treatment. The child must be covered by the policy and the benefit is paid from the child s benefits. 3. Oral surgery. This is for treatment of the following oral surgical procedures following referral by a dentist: reinsertion of your own teeth following a trauma surgical removal of impacted teeth, buried teeth and complicated buried roots enucleation (removal) of cysts of the jaw. Amount payable Up to a maximum of 300 a year when such treatment: follows within 90 days of eligible in-patient treatment; is certified by your GP or specialist as being necessary because of your medical or domestic circumstances; is for those domestic duties that would normally be carried out by the person claiming the benefit. Paid in full. Paid in full at a facility with which we have an agreement for the provision of oral surgical procedures. For more information on the above please see: Page Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

15 Module 3 Additional benefits Benefits 4. Investigations into infertility and eligible treatment of medical conditions found during those investigations. Amount payable Paid in full once you have had this module on your policy for two consecutive years. For more information on the above please see: Page 26 Module 4 Psychiatric cover (This Module is only available if you have Module 1B or 1C.) Benefits In-patient and day-patient treatment 1. Private hospital and day-patient unit charges for psychiatric treatment, including charges for accommodation, diagnostic tests and drugs. Amount payable Paid in full for up to 28 days a year at a private hospital or day-patient unit listed in the Directory of Hospitals. For more information on the above please see: Page Specialists fees for psychiatric treatment. No annual maximum. For more information on the above please see: Page In-patient consultations for psychiatric conditions. Benefit for a consultation with a second specialist arranged by a treating specialist. No annual maximum. For more information on the above please see: Page 29 Out-patient treatment 4. Specialist consultations for psychiatric conditions. These two benefits have a combined overall limit of 1,500 a year. 5. Clinical practitioners charges for psychiatric treatment. For more information on the above please see: Page 37 Module 5 Extended Cancer Cover (This Module is only available if you have Module 1C) Core cover includes cover for the in-patient, day-patient and out-patient treatment of cancer, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and where treatment is necessary for a prolonged period of time. If you have Module 5 your cover for cancer treatment is extended. For more information on the above please see: Page 30 Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

16 Module 6 Routine optical and dental cover Benefits 1. Optical cover. This benefit is for the cost of prescription glasses or contact lenses. We will pay 75% of the costs incurred up to the maximum amount shown. Amount payable Up to 140 each year. For more information on the above please see Page Eye test. Up to 25 each year. For more information on the above please see Page Dental cash benefits (i) Dental cash benefits New or replacement Crowns New or replacement Bridges and implants Root canal treatment Apicectomy Extractions New or replacement Dentures Up to 300 each year. Up to 200 each year. Up to 150 each year. Up to 100 each year. Up to 150 each year. Up to 250 each year. (ii) Dental injury benefit This benefit is subject to a maximum of four claims per year. (iii) Emergency call out fees. This benefit is subject to a maximum of two claims per year. Up to 2,500 per claim. Up to 50 per claim. For more information on the above please see Page 43 Module 7 Travel cover Please see your Travel Cover Handbook. 14 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

17 4 Arranging treatment and making a claim What do I need to do before I receive treatment? Simply call us as soon as your GP refers you for private treatment. We can then make the necessary checks that the treatment is eligible before you incur any costs. Where possible, we will assess your claim over the phone, however we may need to ask for more details about your medical condition particularly if your policy excludes cover for treatment of pre-existing conditions. Sometimes we will need to contact your GP or specialist for more information before we can authorise a claim. Alternatively, we may send you a form that you need to take to your GP to get completed. Be aware: Your GP may make a charge for providing information to us and this charge is not covered by the policy. What will we check when you phone? Although the exact requirements will depend on your individual circumstances, our Personal Advisers are likely to discuss the following with you: If you would like us to support you in identifying a suitable specialist, you can ask your GP for an open referral. This means your GP makes a general referral by stating what treatment is necessary and the type of specialist you require that treatment from, but they do not specify the specialist s name. If your GP has referred you to a specific person for treatment we will check they are recognised by us for benefit. If you need hospital treatment we will discuss with you the cover available and which hospitals, day-patient units and scanning centres are covered by your policy. Also if you are having a surgical procedure it would be helpful for us to know the procedure code so we can identify the exact treatment you will be having. How are my medical bills settled? We normally receive accounts for treatment directly from specialists or hospitals. We can settle eligible bills direct with the hospital or specialist, subject to any excess. If you have paid the accounts, then we will reimburse you. If you receive any accounts from the hospital or practitioner requesting payment please forward them to us at AXA PPP healthcare, Phillips House, Crescent Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2PL. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

18 If you need further treatment that has not already been authorised, please call us to confirm your cover. What happens if I require emergency treatment? This policy will only provide benefit for in-patient or day-patient treatment and surgical procedures if the NHS cannot provide treatment within six weeks after the date on which treatment should be undertaken. Be aware: This means that conditions for which urgent or emergency treatment is needed are not covered by the policy. As you will appreciate, if you have a serious or life threatening condition which needs urgent treatment the NHS will treat that condition within six weeks. Your policy therefore will not cover it because of its urgent or emergency nature. What must I provide when making a claim? 4.1 Before we can consider a claim you must ensure that: you obtain and complete any form required by us in order to provide us with the necessary information and necessary legal permissions to handle your medical information and to assess your claim. We will require this as soon as possible and no later than six months from the date the treatment starts (unless this was not reasonably possible); and we receive original invoices for treatment costs; and you promptly give us all the information we request. Do I need to provide any other information? 4.2 It may not always be possible to assess the eligibility of your claim from the claim form (or patient s declaration and consent form) alone. In such situations we may require additional information and it is your responsibility to provide any reasonable additional information to enable us to assess your claim. Be aware: In order to establish the eligibility of any claim, we may request access to your medical records including medical referral letters. If you unreasonably refuse to agree to such access we will refuse your claim and will recoup any previous monies that we have paid in respect of that medical condition. 4.3 There may be instances where we are uncertain about the eligibility of a claim. If this is the case, we may at our own cost ask a specialist, chosen by us, to advise us about the medical facts relating to a claim or to examine you in connection with the claim. In choosing a relevant specialist we will take into account your personal circumstances. You must co-operate with any specialist chosen by us or we will not pay your claim. 16 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

19 What should I do if I have cover on another insurance policy? 4.4 You must tell us if you can claim any of the cost from another insurance policy. If another insurance policy is involved we will only pay our proper share. What should I do if the benefits I am claiming for relate to an injury or medical condition caused by another person? 4.5 You must tell us on the claim form or patient s declaration and consent form if you can claim any of the cost from anyone else. If benefits are claimed for treatment to you when the injury or medical condition was caused by some other person (the third party ), we will pay those benefits you can claim under the policy. If another insurance policy covers those benefits then we will only pay our proper share of the benefits. However, in paying those benefits, we obtain both through the terms of the policy and by law a right to recover the amount of those benefits from the third party. In this case, the following shall apply: you must tell us as quickly as possible if you believe a third party caused the injury or medical condition, or if you believe they were at fault. We may then write to you or the third party if we require further information; and you must include all monies paid by us in respect of the injuries (and interest on those monies) in your claim against the third party ( our outlay ); and you (or your solicitors) must keep us fully informed about the progress of your claim and any action against the third party or any pre-action matters; and you (or your solicitors) must keep us informed of the outcome of any action or settlement (providing us with access to the details of any such settlement); should you successfully recover any monies from the third party they should be repaid directly to us within 21 days of receipt on the following basis: if the claim against the third party settles in full, you must repay our outlay in full; or if you recover only a percentage of your claim for damages you must repay the same percentage of our outlay to us; or if your claim is repaid as a global settlement (where our outlay is not individually identified), you must repay our outlay in the same proportion as the global settlement bears to your total claim for damages against the third party. If you do not repay to us such monies (and any interest recovered from the third party), we shall be entitled to recover the same from you and your policy may be cancelled in line with 15.2(d) in the Complaint and regulatory information section. The rights and remedies in this clause are in addition to and not instead of rights or remedies provided by law. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

20 5 Existing medical conditions Am I covered for treatment of medical conditions that I had prior to joining? Medical insurance is designed primarily to provide cover for treatment of new medical conditions that arise after you join. This is the usual position. However, you may have joined on a different basis in which case that fact will be shown on your membership statement. For example, if you have joined from another insurer we may have transferred the medical underwriting terms from your previous policy for medical conditions that existed prior to you joining that policy. If you completed a medical history declaration when you joined, your membership statement will show the medical conditions or specified related conditions for which we will not cover you for treatment and whether we can review that exclusion. If you did not provide your medical history when you joined, the following diagram shows how your policy works and the process we go through when assessing your claim. The policy terms are shown on the following pages. 18 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

21 Was the medical condition a pre-existing condition when you joined? No Is the medical condition a specified related condition to a pre-existing condition? Yes Yes No Your claim is eligible subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Please call us so we can confirm if your treatment is eligible. Have you been a member on this plan for at least two consecutive years? No Your medical condition is not eligible for treatment as you have not been a member for two years. Yes Have you had a consecutive two year trouble free period from the pre-existing condition since you joined? No Your claim is not eligible. You must have a consecutive two year trouble free period from the pre-existing condition since you joined. Yes Your claim is eligible subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Please call us so we can confirm if your treatment is eligible. Please note: The following defined terms apply to this section: medical condition any disease, illness or injury, including psychiatric illness. pre-existing condition any disease, illness or injury for which: you have received medication, advice or treatment; or you have experienced symptoms; whether the condition has been diagnosed or not in the five years before the start of your cover. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

22 specified related condition the medical conditions listed in the table below that are associated with the following pre-existing conditions: diabetes, raised blood pressure (hypertension) or undergoing monitoring as a result of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. trouble free when you: have not had any medical opinion from a medical practitioner including GP s or specialists; or have not taken any medication (including over the counter drugs) or followed a special diet; or have not had any medical treatment; or have not visited a clinical practitioner, complementary practitioner or physiotherapist; for the medical condition. We will provide cover for treatment of medical conditions that arise after you join. However, in the first two years of cover there is no cover for the treatment of pre-existing medical conditions or for treatment of specified related conditions where that pre-existing condition is one of those shown in the table below. If you have the following pre-existing condition: have been diagnosed with diabetes. are currently undergoing treatment for raised blood pressure (hypertension). We will not pay for treatment of the following specified related conditions: Diabetes Ischaemic heart disease Cataract Diabetic retinopathy Diabetic renal disease Arterial disease Stroke Raised blood pressure (hypertension) Ischaemic heart disease Stroke Hypertensive renal failure are under investigation, having treatment or undergoing monitoring as a result of a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. Any disorder of the prostate Once you have been a member for two consecutive years, you may be able to claim for treatment of pre-existing conditions and specified related conditions as long as you have had a trouble free period of two consecutive years for the pre-existing condition since you became a member. 20 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

23 There are some medical conditions those that continue or keep recurring that you will never be able to claim for. This is because you will never be able to have a consecutive two year trouble free period. What happens when I want to make a claim? If you completed a medical history declaration when you joined, your membership statement will show any specific exclusions that apply to your policy. You should call us to confirm that the treatment you need is eligible. If you did not provide your medical history when you joined, we will need to assess your medical history before we can authorise your treatment. We may do this by asking for a medical information form or claim form from your GP or specialist, or by asking for your GP notes. Be aware: Because we need to assess your medical history, it is possible that we will not be able to authorise your treatment straight away. There may be a short delay before we can confirm if your treatment is eligible. 5.2 We pay for eligible: (a) Treatment of a new medical condition that arises after you join. (b) Treatment of pre-existing conditions and where applicable, their specified related conditions, once you have been a member for at least two consecutive years and have had a consecutive two year trouble free period. 5.3 What we do not pay for: (a) Treatment of pre-existing conditions and specified related conditions where that pre-existing condition is diabetes, raised blood pressure (hypertension) or you have been undergoing monitoring as a result of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test for the first two years after you join. (b) If you completed a medical history declaration when you joined: Treatment of any medical condition which you already had when you joined and which you should have told us about when we asked but which you either: did not tell us about at all; or omitted to tell us about the full extent of it. This includes: any current or previous medical condition(s) or symptoms, (whether or not being treated); and any previous medical condition(s) which recur(s) or which you should reasonably have known about (even if you had not consulted a doctor). (c) Treatment of any other medical condition detailed on your membership statement as excluded for benefit. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

24 6 Your cover for certain types of treatment Will my policy cover me for preventive treatment? No, this policy has been designed to provide cover for necessary and active treatment of disease, illness or injury. Therefore, we do not pay for preventive treatment or for tests to establish whether a medical condition is present when there are no apparent symptoms. Please note: We do not pay for genetic tests, when those tests are undertaken to establish whether or not you may be genetically disposed to the development of a medical condition. What other treatments are not covered? There are also a number of other treatments (listed below) that your policy does not cover. These include treatments that may be considered a matter of personal choice (such as cosmetic treatment), treatments which are outside of any Modules which you may have chosen and other treatments that are excluded from cover to keep premiums at an affordable level (such as out-patient drugs and dressings). 6.1 We pay for eligible: (a) Diagnostic tests when performed as in-patient or day-patient treatment. (b) Modules 1A, 1B or 1C only: Out-patient diagnostic tests ordered by a specialist. (c) Module 3 only: Oral surgical procedures listed below following referral by a dentist: reinsertion of your own teeth following a trauma surgical removal of impacted teeth, buried teeth and complicated buried roots enucleation (removal) of cysts of the jaw. (d) Initial reconstructive surgery to restore function or appearance after an accident or following surgery for a medical condition, provided that: we have covered you continuously under a policy of ours since before the accident or surgery happened we agree the cost of the treatment in writing before it is done (see also 6.2(m)). (e) Treatment of astigmatism where the astigmatism arises from the surgical replacement of the lens of the eye (see also 6.2(o)). 6.2 What we do not pay for: (a) Diagnostic tests other than detailed in 6.1(a) and 6.1(b) (b) Any dental procedures including referrals to dental specialists such as periodontists, endodontists, prosthodontists or orthodontists, unless you have Module Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

25 (c) Treatment which is not medically necessary or which may be considered a matter of personal choice. (d) Treatment which arises from or is directly or indirectly caused by a deliberately self-inflicted injury or an attempt at suicide. (e) Treatment of, or treatment which arises from or is in any way connected with, alcohol abuse, drug abuse or substance abuse. (f) Any costs incurred as a consequence of treatment that is not eligible under your policy, including increased treatment costs. (g) Any treatment of warts of the skin. (h) Vaccinations, routine preventive examinations or preventive screening. (i) (j) Preventive treatment. Out-patient drugs or dressings. (k) If you do not have Module 1A, 1B or 1C: Out-patient consultations, out-patient diagnostic tests or any other out-patient treatment except as detailed in the Core cover benefits table. (l) The costs of providing or fitting any external prosthesis or appliance. (m) Cosmetic (aesthetic) surgery or treatment, or any treatment relating to previous cosmetic or reconstructive treatment. (See also 6.1(d)). (n) The removal of fat or surplus tissue from any part of the body whether or not it is needed for medical or psychological reasons (including but not limited to breast reduction). (o) Any other treatment of astigmatism or any other refractive errors. (See also 6.1(e)). (p) Any treatment to correct long or short-sightedness. (q) Treatment directed towards developmental delay in children whether physical or psychological or due to learning difficulties. (r) Any charges which you incur for social or domestic reasons (such as travel or home help costs) or for reasons which are not directly connected with treatment, unless you have Module 3. (s) Any treatment costs incurred as a result of engaging in or training for any sport for which you receive a salary or monetary reimbursement, including grants or sponsorship (unless you receive travel costs only). (t) Any treatment needed as a result of nuclear contamination, biological contamination or chemical contamination, war (whether declared or not), act of foreign enemy, invasion, civil war, riot, rebellion, insurrection, revolution, overthrow of a legally constituted government, explosions of war weapons or any event similar to one of those listed. Please note, for clarity: There is cover for treatment required as a result of a terrorist act providing that terrorist act does not result in nuclear, biological or chemical contamination. (u) Claims on this policy if you live outside the United Kingdom or any treatment received outside the United Kingdom. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

26 (v) Anything outside the terms of cover, which for clarity includes any urgent or emergency treatment. We also do not pay for treatment of any medical condition unless treatment is not available under the NHS within six weeks after the date on which required treatment should be undertaken. This requirement shall not apply to those surgical procedures listed in the benefits table or day-patient or out-patient radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Will my policy cover me for new or experimental treatments? Your policy only covers you for established medical treatments. Be aware: There is no cover for any treatment or procedure that has not been established as being effective or which is experimental. 6.3 We pay for eligible: (a) Surgical procedures listed in a technical document, called the schedule of procedures and fees, which we make available to specialists and which lists the surgical procedures we pay benefits for. We will pay for treatment not listed if, before the treatment begins, it is established that the treatment is recognised as appropriate by an authoritative medical body and we have agreed with the specialist and the hospital what the fees will be. If you would like a copy of the schedule of procedures and fees please refer to the AXA PPP healthcare website: (b) Reasonable costs incurred for a live donor to donate an organ or tissue provided that: the operations to both the donor and the recipient are carried out simultaneously; and either both the donor and the recipient are immediate relatives (ie parent, child or sibling) and either the donor or the recipient is covered on this policy; or both the donor and the recipient are members of AXA PPP healthcare at the time the operations are carried out and both have been members since before the recipient developed the medical condition requiring the transplant. (See also 6.4(c)). 6.4 What we do not pay for: (a) The use of a drug which has not been established as being effective or which is experimental. This means they must be licensed for use by the European Medicines Agency or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and be used within the terms of that license. (b) Treatment which has not been established as being effective or which is experimental. For established treatment, this means procedures and practices that have undergone appropriate clinical trial and assessment, sufficiently evidenced in published medical 24 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

27 journals and/or approved by The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for specific purposes to be considered proven safe and effective therapies. (c) The cost of collecting donor organs or tissue or for any related administration costs (such as, but not limited to, the cost of a donor search). Childbirth, pregnancy and sexual health Our policies are designed to provide cover for necessary and active treatment of a medical condition (which we define as a disease, illness or injury). This means for pregnancy and childbirth that we will only pay for eligible additional treatment made necessary by a medical condition that is experienced during that pregnancy and/or childbirth. Your policy is not intended to provide cover for preventive treatment, monitoring or screening. We do not pay for the normal interventions required during pregnancy or childbirth as they are not treatments of a medical condition. Be aware: As the extent of cover is limited in pregnancy and childbirth we strongly advise you to call our team of Personal Advisers so we can confirm the extent of the cover we will provide before you undertake any treatment. 6.5 We pay for eligible: (a) Additional costs incurred for the treatment of medical conditions when they occur during that pregnancy or childbirth. As an illustration we would consider treatment of the following: ectopic pregnancy (where the foetus is growing outside the womb) hydatidiform mole (abnormal cell growth in the womb) retained placenta (afterbirth retained in the womb) placenta praevia eclampsia (a coma or seizure during pregnancy and following pre-eclampsia) diabetes (If you have exclusions because of your past medical history which relate to diabetes, then you will not be covered for any treatment for diabetes during pregnancy) post partum haemorrhage (heavy bleeding in the hours and days immediately after childbirth) miscarriage requiring immediate surgical treatment failure to progress in labour. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

28 Be aware: Many medical conditions arising during pregnancy and childbirth would require urgent or emergency treatment. As the NHS would provide this treatment within six weeks, it is unlikely that there will be any cover on your policy for such treatment. (b) If you have Module 3: Investigations into the causes of infertility and the treatment of eligible medical conditions found during these investigations, for example ovarian cysts or endometriosis, once you have had this module on your policy for two consecutive years. 6.6 What we do not pay for: (a) Any costs related to pregnancy or childbirth except the additional costs incurred for eligible treatment of a medical condition. (b) If you do not have Module 3, or you have not had Module 3 for two consecutive years: Investigations into and treatment of infertility or any consequence of any of them or of any treatment for them. (c) Any costs related to contraception, sterilisation (or its reversal), assisted conception such as IVF or any consequence or them, or treatment for them. (d) Treatment of impotence or any consequence of it. (e) Gender re-assignment operations or any other surgical or medical treatment including psychotherapy or similar services which arise from, or are directly or indirectly associated with, gender re-assignment. 26 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold

29 7 Recurrent, continuing and long-term treatment Will my policy cover me for recurrent, continuing or long-term treatment? Your policy covers treatment of medical conditions that respond quickly to treatment defined in our glossary as acute conditions. This policy is not intended to cover you against the costs of recurrent, continuing or long-term treatment of chronic conditions. We define a chronic condition in the glossary on page 55 as: A disease, illness or injury that has one or more of the following characteristics: it needs ongoing or long-term monitoring through consultations, examinations, check-ups and/or tests it needs ongoing or long-term control or relief of symptoms it requires your rehabilitation or for you to be specially trained to cope with it it continues indefinitely it has no known cure it comes back or is likely to come back. Please note: Your policy will cover you for the following phases of treatment for a chronic condition (subject to the restrictions on this policy for out-patient treatment if you do not have Module 1A, 1B or 1C): the initial investigations to establish a diagnosis treatment for a period of a few months following diagnosis to allow the specialist to start treatment the in-patient treatment of acute exacerbations or complications (flare-ups) in order to quickly return the chronic condition to its controlled state. What happens if I require recurrent or long-term treatment? In the unfortunate event that the treatment you are receiving becomes recurrent, continuing or long-term, the costs for treatment of that chronic condition (including long-term monitoring, consultations, check-ups and examinations) will not be covered under your policy. We will write to let you know if this is the case. There are certain conditions that are likely to require ongoing treatment such as Crohn s disease (inflammatory bowel disease) which require management of recurrent episodes where the condition s symptoms deteriorate. Because of the ongoing nature of these conditions we will write to tell you when the benefit for that condition will stop. Our team of Personal Advisers is available on

30 Where can I find out more about cover for chronic conditions? We publish a leaflet which explains how we deal with payment for treatment of chronic conditions. This is available on our website: and can also be obtained from us. You will also find further explanation of how we deal with payment for cancer treatments on page We pay for eligible: (a) Treatment of an acute condition and the short-term in-patient treatment intended to stabilise and bring under control a chronic condition. (b) Kidney dialysis for up to six weeks during preparation for kidney transplant. (c) Initial diagnosis and immediate treatment of HIV infection, when we will pay in-patient treatment benefit for one stay of up to 28 days. (d) In-patient rehabilitation of up to 28 days when it is an integral part of treatment; and it is carried out by a specialist in rehabilitation it is carried out in a recognised rehabilitation hospital or unit which is either listed in the Directory of Hospitals or which we have written to confirming it is recognised by us the costs have been agreed by us before the rehabilitation begins. We will extend in-patient rehabilitation to a maximum of 180 days in cases of severe central nervous system damage caused by an external trauma. (e) Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) only when it is medically indicated for the treatment of menopause resulting from medical intervention, when we will pay for the specialist consultations and for the cost of the implants (but not patches or tablets). We will only pay benefits for a maximum of 18 months from the date of the medical intervention. 7.2 What we do not pay for: (a) Ongoing, recurrent or long-term treatment of any chronic condition. (b) The monitoring of a medical condition. (c) Any treatment which only offers temporary relief of symptoms rather than dealing with the underlying medical condition. (d) Routine follow-up consultations. (e) Any hormone replacement therapy (HRT) except for the treatment of menopause resulting from medical intervention. What cover do I have for psychiatric treatment? If you have Module 4: you have cover for the treatment of psychiatric illness, subject to all other benefit limitations and exclusions on your policy. In-patient and day-patient treatment of psychiatric illness is limited to an overall maximum of 28 days for each person covered each year. 28 Please see page 55 for an explanation of words that appear in bold