Private Medical Insurance : Common Definitions within policies

Since October 2007 insurers must use or move to use by 2008, certain ABI agreed definitions  

Acute condition  

'A disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment  which aims to return you to the state of health you were in immediately  before suffering the disease, illness or injury, or which leads to your full  recovery

Day patient  

A patient who is admitted to a hospital or day patient unit because they  need a period of medically supervised recovery but does not occupy a bed  overnight

Diagnostic tests  

Investigations, such as X-rays or blood tests, to find or to help to find the  cause of your symptoms.

Inpatient  

A patient who is admitted to hospital and who occupies a bed overnight or  longer, for medical reasons.

Nurse   

A qualified nurse who is on the register of the Nursing and Midwifery  Council (NMC) and holds a valid NMC personal identification number

Out patient  

A patient who attends a hospital, consulting room, or outpatient clinic and  is not admitted as a day patient or an inpatient

Treatment   

Surgical or medical services (including diagnostic tests) that are needed  to diagnose, relieve or cure a disease, illness or injury

Note- some insurers use the term 'active treatment'. This has the potential to confuse customers given the current agreed definition of  treatment.  If insurers insist on still using the term active treatment – they must fully explain what it is with a specific  definition-they cannot leave the phrase hanging in mid air.

And also, insurers must;

Be clear about private medical insurance  - when cover starts and ends, what is covered, and limits  on benefits.

Treat all customer information as confidential.