In a word, no!

• If you don’t have health insurance, that’s just fine. Many of our patients self-fund, which means they pay for their own treatment from their own money. The advantage is you just pay for the treatment you require. You don’t pay monthly into an insurance policy that you may not need to claim on to the full value of your contributions. For peace of mind, there are fixed price packages and payment plans to help spread the cost. (See our Fees and Payment Options page for more details.)
• If you do have health insurance, great. You’ve paid for it, possibly for many years, so make the most of it and use it! You’ll need to check what your policy covers and if there is an excess amount you need to pay (like with car insurance), or a maximum amount they’ll pay out per condition. 

Private or NHS?

Let’s make one thing clear: opting for private healthcare, whether through insurance or self-funding, will never preclude you from being a NHS patient too. So you don’t have to choose between one or the other for life. They are two separate services.

However, please be aware that if you switch mid-treatment, it is not possible to give you priority in the NHS over other NHS patients. You will also need to ask your General Practitioner to refer you to an NHS Service, which means potentially starting again regarding the waiting list.

Your first consultation Your initial consultation with a Joint Reaction orthopaedic specialist may be the best health investment you can make. Some insurance policies do not cover an initial consultation – please check your policy documents for details

Your health insurance and us

When you choose treatment from Joint Reaction, we will need full details of your policy including:

• Your health insurance policy company name
• Your name and address details as per the policy
• Your policy number / customer number
• Your authorisation code where applicable

For self-funders, we and the hospital where you receive your treatment may require proof of ID due to money laundering regulations – see our “Fees and Payment Options” page or contact us for details.

Tests and diagnostics

Your consultant may request some x-rays, scans and other diagnostic testing.

• If you’re self-funding your treatment, you’ll pay for these separately as they are a hospital cost.
• If you have health insurance, most tests are covered. Again check your policy for cover details and any excess.

How payments are allocated

• Full payment is required for consultant fees which are billed separately to any treatments. The invoice will come from your consultant, not Joint Reaction.
• Payment options for treatments are provided by hospitals and payable to the hospital direct.