Why should you go for private treatment abroad

You can get private treatment abroad for any medical condition, providing you can pay for it. This could include treatment abroad in a private specialised hospital, by a clinic or state hospital abroad. It could also include dental treatment, cosmetic surgery and orthopaedic surgery, gynaecological surgery, fertility treatment or vein varicose treatment.

Why go for private treatment abroad?

You might want to get private health treatment abroad when:

  • you want to choose the date for the hospital operation. By going abroad you can choose when to have it, so it does not interfere with your life and plans
  • there’s a long NHS waiting list and you don’t want to wait. In general, you should receive surgery on NHS within 18 weeks, but this often tends to be longer
  • if you wish to be treated by a consultant of your choice. You will be able to pick a doctor who is an expert in the field of medicine, not one who just started to practice
  • the treatment that you need isn’t available on the NHS. For example, cosmetic surgery, dental treatment, fertility treatment or vein varicose treatment
  • you want a second opinion on the treatment you’ve had on the NHS, many legal actions have proven that the decision that was made by NHS might not be the right one if you feel that doctor is wrong going abroad could be an option for your
  • health screening is not available on NHS, but abroad cost for full body checkup can be done in one day, and it can be combined with your short city break.

Things to know about surgery abroad

Before getting private treatment abroad, you might want to think about:

  • whether you can afford it. The cost is likely to be very high in private clinics in the UK, but abroad the same or even better service is available for fraction of the cost – 50% or even -80%
  • whether you would like to have just private treatment abroad or you would like to combine it with holidays;
  • chose a specialised private hospital or chose a multidisciplinary hospital abroad that could deal with any complications;
  • opposite private treatment in the UK, patients who received treatment abroad in the EU are entitled to NHS treatment after private treatment.

How to get private health treatment abroad

Why should you go for private treatment abroad

To find a private medical clinic abroad you could:

  • make your research, and decide your possible destination country;
  • contact Medrefund LTD and ask for advice, as we do work only with the best clinics in the country and in doctors. Clinics that offer medical tourism services are usually providing high-quality service and going the extra mile;
  • look on the internet and ask a question you are concerned about;
  • contacting Medrefund prior to treatment could reduce your cost even more as part of the costs could be refunded by the NHS.

Charges at a private clinic abroad

You should ask the clinic abroad what the charges will be in advance and what would be included. Private treatment abroad can include a full package that would include all starting from flight, accommodation, surgery, aftercare, or just treatment. Clinics usually do not charge more if an operation takes twice as long as it should.

We can check with the NHS if the treatment you are planning to receive is covered by the NHS and will be refunded. The first sight that you can have private treatment abroad paid for by NHS is that you are on the waiting list.

A private clinic abroad has a legal duty of care towards you. This means that in an emergency, they must take reasonable steps to provide necessary treatment, even if this hasn’t been agreed upon in advance. You might not be charged for it if you have the European Health Insurance Card, and you receive treatment in the clinic that accepts it.

If you go to a private hospital abroad

When you go to hospital for a private operation abroad, you will not be charged separately:

  • your surgeon consultation;
  • an anaesthetist service;
  • accommodation, meals, laundry, nurses, drugs, medication, X-rays and blood tests.

Savings for having treatment abroad

The actual cost savings you can make by having private treatment abroad will vary depending on the procedure you want and the country you want to go to. Many popular treatment destinations offer savings of half or even more compared to the cost of private general surgery in the UK.
Why private treatment abroad is cheaper
Private treatment abroad is cheaper because their costs of service are lower. The wages paid to the specialists and private clinic staff abroad can be far less than those paid in the UK. It is far less expensive to run a private clinic abroad than if it is to run one of a similar standard here in the UK, so clinic abroad does not cut their prices they don’t have to charge as much for their services.

Why patients go abroad for treatment

There are more than one reason depending on diagnosis, required treatment, costs and others, these reasons include:
Costs of private treatment abroad – private treatment abroad can often be found at a fraction of the price in the UK.
No waiting times –NHS are having long waiting lists for treatment, but by travelling you can get treatment significantly sooner. And in some cases get a refund for general surgery abroad.
New surgery treatments – NHS often offers the cheapest available surgery, but in a private clinic abroad you and your doctor can choose the best available service
Specialist services – private clinics abroad tend to offer specialised medical staff and medical equipment. Cause if you are paying you are expecting a high-level surgeon and that is what private medical clinics abroad do offer
Service is not available on NHS – there is more than one treatment for same diagnoses and we think you should be given a choice, so do EU, now you can choose specialist and clinic abroad and NHS will have to partly or fully cover costs of treatment according to EU directive.

Why choose a private clinic abroad not in the UK

Savings for private treatment abroad

  • Costs will be lower and by lower, we mean 50-80 lower than in the UK clinic
  • You can combine holidays with treatment
  • Possible refund from NHS
  • Treatment quality abroad  is the same or even better
  • guaranteed aftercare from NHS if necessary.

Private treatment abroad can be covered by the NHS and can be refunded, even if it was planned and was received in a private clinic abroad. Treatment abroad could be an alternative you can afford, and it can help you avoid the NHS waiting list.

claim refund for treatment abroad