Survey reveals worries about budgeting for healthcare
Sixty-eight per cent of people are concerned about the cost of healthcare, a Westfield survey has revealed.
The survey, which polled 510 adults aged 18 and over, asked respondents if budgeting for healthcare was a worry to them and sixty-eight per cent said they were either very or fairly worried.
Sixty per cent of people surveyed would welcome having a health cash plan as part of the benefits package offered by their employers, while 88 per cent do not currently have a cash plan.
As the economy slows and people struggle to cope financially, health cash plans can be an affordable way to budget for everyday healthcare expenses.
Westfield Chief Executive Jill Davies said: "In today’s tough economic climate with the rising costs of healthcare, it is important to take a proactive role in looking after your health.
"For individuals and businesses alike, it is easy to understand the attraction of cash plans. As inflationary pressures mount and business confidence declines, employers are increasingly taking steps to better manage budgets. They need to run a tight, efficient operation to ensure that all members of staff remain motivated and productive – and healthcare has an increasing role to play in achieving this.
"Optical and dental benefits have always been a key driver of business for Westfield Health and there is no reason to believe that this will change. With changes in NHS dental contracts leading to more dentists leaving the NHS and moving to exclusively private practice, there has been a decline in free immediate NHS treatment and an ongoing rise in costs. People today are increasingly viewing health cash plans as a cost-effective way of budgeting for the cost of their everyday healthcare."
As well as dental and optical benefits providing money back towards the cost of treatment and check-ups, most Westfield cash plans include a 24-hour freephone counselling and advice line, which provides telephone access to teams of qualified counsellors, lawyers and medical staff. This can help people to manage stress associated with financial difficulties and worries about job security.
© Westfield Health Insurance | 2009
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