Medisure Health Insurance

Our experience of Medisure is absolutely appalling. A few years ago, suffering from a chronic skin complaint, my dermatologist recommended uv light therapy treatment. Medisure refused to pay because I had previously had some physiotherapy treatment and had apparently used up my allowance - apparently these two very different treatments are in the same category. As far as I am aware the only thing they have in common is the word therapy. I paid over a thousand pounds for the treatment myself. Last year I needed to have a bowell operation. Medisure would not cover me to see the consultant of my choice despite the fact that I had seen her previously and she works in my local hospital. They then issued me with a list of hospitals in which I could have the operation. My GP said I should have the operation done on the NHS as she would not recommend any of the private hospitals Medisure wanted me to go to. I eventually had the operation on the NHS this year. Today my 17 year old son went for an MRI arthrogram scan at a central London private hospital. My husband had rung Medisure the previous week to ensure this was OK and my son was covered. He was assured that our son was covered to have the scan at this hospital. My son took an afternoon off school and turned up for his scan. He rang Medisure to confirm the referral number and they informed him that he couldn't have the scan at that hospital afterall! My son went home without having the scan done and feeling thoroughly embarrassed. Words cannot express my disatisfaction with Medisure. Just like every other type of insurance, it seems to me that all Medisure are interested in doing is getting out of paying for treatment at all costs. I would not want to be covered by this company if I was in distress and in need of specialised treatment. They seem to have no regard for their clients and I would not recommend them to my worst enemy.

In 3 years of a company health plan with Medisure, I have tried to make 3 claims :-

1. My wife developed severe varicose veins as a result of pregnancy. Medisure said that they would have covered the vein treatment if I hadn't mentioned that it developed during pregnancy. As they don't cover maternity, they wouldn't cover this.

2. In April 2008, I fractured a vertebrae which meant 5 days laying motionless in an NHS hospital. Medisure said that I could be admitted to a private hospital if I could get a cab there. When I explained that I had broken my back, they said that I still had to arrange my own transfer.

3. My 5 year old son's teachers say that he shows symptoms of Dyspraxia, a neurological condition that effects co-ordination and concentration. Medisure say that this isn't medical.

I have cancelled my policy. I fail to see what i'm actually covered for.

Since being diagnosed with slight arthritis in my neck and lumber region, Medisure are refusing to authorise treatment for anything related to my back. I recently tried to claim for Chiropractic treatment to correct a posture problem; this was refused on the grounds that they considered my back to be untreatable. The discs are ok, and a bit of manipulation would relieve the pain and return me to almost full mobility. Unfortunately I will have to pay for this myself, what a waste of money.