What’s the Problem?
BUPA MEMBERS
Please help us to SAVE OSTEOPATHY ON BUPA
In April this year, Bupa announced that they are changing the arrangements for osteopaths who treat members of Bupa. The conditions in the new contract are so onerous, thatan increasing number of osteopaths are withdrawing from offering consultations under Bupa cover.
Even if you are currently covered for treatment by your own osteopath under Bupa, there is no guarantee that this will continue and the number of osteopaths accepting Bupa insurance in your area may well be severely reduced.
Bupa’s new terms & conditions will mean that, in future, you may not be able to choose the osteopath you wish to see.
Current Petition Count
So why is this happening?
There are several areas that these changes affect…
Fees
Bupa is offering to pay below the present fee scales for many osteopaths, especially in the London & the Southeast where the costs of running a practice are higher. They are also preventing patients from making up the difference between their present osteopath’s fees & what Bupa is prepared to pay – i.e. they are not allowing patients to “top up” the fees.
Administration
The new requirements will mean a massive increase in the amount of time that your osteopath has to spend in filling in forms for Bupa about your claim, your diagnosis, the treatment that you receive & your response to that treatment. This will cut down the time your osteopath has to do what they do best – treating patients such as yourself.
Treatment
Osteopaths treat patients as individuals. Although your osteopath may diagnose that you have a particular problem, the treatment they provide to each patient is as unique as you are. We believe that your osteopath, having taken a case history and performed an examination, is in the best position to decide the treatment that you need. Without knowing you or ever having seen you as a patient, Bupa is trying to dictate what treatment your osteopath is allowed to give you.
No osteopath wants to stop providing treatment under your cover, but many feel that these changes make it impossible for them to give you the care you need.
What can you do to help?
If either you, or a member of your family, have benefited from osteopathic treatment or you feel that you may need our help in the future, there are three ways you can help…
1. Submit your name and email address to our petition
2. Spread the word to other Bupa members by drawing their attention to this problem. Talk about it. Like, tweet or share this page using the options at the top of the page. Send the address of this website to them via email and let people know what you think using the comments at the bottom.
3. Complain about this directly to Bupa. If they get sufficient negative feedback from their members, they may well withdraw these changes. If you are a member of a corporate scheme, we would also encourage you to contact the person who deals with health insurance matters at your place of work.
4. Have a look at, and maybe join in with, the comments on other websites, such as the excellent Private Patients Forum. www.privatepatientsforum.org
5. Submit a comment to the Competition Commission about how Bupa’s behaviour is limiting patient choice. See the “Latest News” page on how to do this.
You can complain to Bupa…
1. By Letter
The best way is in WRITING to
Dr Natalie-Jane MacDonald
Medical Director
BUPA Health & Wellbeing UK
Willow House
Pinetrees
STAINES
TW18 3DZ
2. Online
You can download a sample letter, that you can adapt, from
http://tinyurl.com/Patient-Letter-to-Bupa
Or by e-mail to
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or via their website
www.bupa.co.uk/members/member-feedback
3. By Phone
or on the phone
0845 609 0111
Monday to Friday: 8am to 8pm
Saturday: 8am to 6pm
If you are a member of a corporate scheme, we would encourage you to contact the person who deals with health insurance matters at your place of work.
