Top-up celebrations for WPA

12:00pm Friday 21st November 2008

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A TAUNTON health insurer is celebrating this week after the Government’s decision to lift the top-ups ban.

Western Provident Association, WPA, joined patients in the battle to challenge Government policy than meant patients would lose their right to NHS care if they decided to pay privately for drugs not available on the health service.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced the changes last Tuesday, which mean patients can top up their NHS care with drugs or treatments not available through the service. Charlie MacEwan, corporate communications director at WPA, said: “Last year we launched a project to get cancer drugs not available on the NHS.

“Then in June we launched the top up policy. In effect the soul aim was to allow people to top up their NHS care.

“The debate has been going on for a long time now and this is fantastic news for patients.”

WPA, is the only private insurer currently offering a top-ups policy.

The firm launched its product 18 months ago and now has several different options available, one of which covers cancer drugs.

“This is a Taunton company playing its part to give its customers the most effective treatments,” Mr McEwan added.

“We are not competing with the NHS – we are complementing it.” Just 13% of adults have private medical insurance and many firms say the opportunity to mix-and-match private and NHS care could lead to cheaper policies.

Mr MacEwan added: “The next stage is going to be when the Government looks at the price it puts on a patients care for a year.

“At the minute this is £25,000 so if a treatment comes to more than this a year you can’t get it on the NHS – and there’s another review going on at the moment.”