One of the most talked-about things in health insurance is medical inflation. Insurance companies use it as a blanket term when informing members of their increased renewal premiums. Kevin Melton, sales director at AXA PPP International, discusses why medical inflation is going through the roof.

Medical inflation is affected by claiming history, the cost of new technologies, and the medical landscape. And it always seems to be on the increase. Below are some of the reasons why.

Claiming history

When the world is in a recession, more people seem to claim. When times are good, many people don’t bother settling claims for minimal amounts for things like medicines or a trip to the general practitioner. But when times are lean, people claim for every expense they can.

And who can blame them? That is, after all, why you buy insurance.

Recession often also means redundancies, so employees on a company scheme often push through treatment if they think their job is at risk.

In light of new research showing that a large percentage of people living abroad expect to take part in extreme sports, an international private medical insurance provider is advising expatriates to check the small print of their healthcare policies.

MediCare International reports that 51% of respondents to its continuing poll now said they expected to take part in some kind of extreme sporting activity while living abroad – 10% more than a year ago. The term ‘extreme sports’ has become a buzzword for non-conventional sports, usually with a perceived higher element of risk. Activities such as off-piste skiing, boarding, quad biking, skydiving, hang gliding, jet skiing, windsurfing, kayaking and rock climbing have become increasingly popular since the early 1990s.

When taking out international health insurance, the focus is usually on the more predictable medical concerns, such as whether day-to-day GP visits are covered, or, in case of emergencies, the extent to which hospital visits, chronic care treatments and repatriation are included in a policy.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that amendments amounting to what it describes as “little more than minor tweaking” have not done enough to address the underlying problems with the Health and Social Care Bill, which returns to the House of Lords today.

In its briefing to peers, the BMA acknowledges that the Government has made some effort to try to address some of its concerns, but says the Bill remains fundamentally flawed and should be withdrawn.

The briefing paper argues that the Government’s whole approach to the reforms has not been effectively managed: the speed of change and implementation, the complex nature of the reforms, and the absence of a clearly communicated vision, the lack of consideration of the consequences, and a mismatch of rhetoric and reality having been defining features of the current reform process.

International private medical insurance provider MediCare International explains Greece’s healthcare system and how expatriates moving there to work or retire can access it.

As Greece is a member of the European Community, many moving there to work or retire might think that their medical expenses would be covered under the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). However, an EHIC is not intended to replace private medical insurance, as the protection it offers is temporary and the range of treatments covered is limited.

• The EHIC will cover any medical treatment that becomes necessary during a trip – because of illness or an accident, for example
• The card gives access to reduced-cost or free medical treatment from state healthcare providers
• It includes treatment of a chronic or pre-existing medical condition that becomes necessary during your visit
• It includes routine maternity care (not only because of illness or accident), as long as you are not going abroad to give birth. However, where the birth happens unexpectedly, the card will cover the cost of all medical treatment for mother and baby that is linked to the birth
• The card also covers routine medical care for people with pre-existing conditions that need monitoring

Getting ill when you’re away from home is something most of us have experienced. From having to explain your condition using your charades skills to taking medicines that are as foreign as the destination you’ve chosen, it’s not usually a situation you want to repeat. But what happens when your illness is much more serious than the sniffles or a sore throat? Kevin Melton, sales director at international private medical insurance provider AXA PPP International, explains the ins and outs of medical evacuation, why no self-respecting expat should ignore the danger, and how to make sure you're covered for all eventualities.

Medical evacuation

There are a variety of ways to medically evacuate people. It all depends on where the evacuation is taking place and the condition of the patient.

Most evacuations are carried out via commercial flights. This is only appropriate for medically stable and conscious patients who are able to breathe on their own. If the patient is evacuated in this way, it usually involves buying either an upper-class seat or a couple of extra coach seats.

Other types of evacuation are for patients who are medically unstable. The Lufthansa airline has intensive care units (ICU) aboard some regularly scheduled flights. This option is good if the patient is at a destination that Lufthansa serves.

The ICU units have state-of-the-art equipment, and the costs are controlled, because the flight is part of Lufthansa’s regular activity. However, it does mean the patient has to be at the right place at the right time, and the aircraft must be able to accommodate him or her, because the ICU takes up an area of coach seats.

Leading plastic surgeons called for tighter regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry this week, deeming it to be an under-regulated “wild west”.

The surgeons are members of the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), and perform cosmetic surgeries both in the NHS and at leading private hospitals.

Members of the association believed that adverts for cosmetic procedures, which feature in the tabloids and in women’s magazines, should be banned.

BAAPS president Fazal Fatah said, “Over the last decade the BAAPS has worked tirelessly to educate the public on the many aggressive marketing gimmicks that not only trivialise surgery but endanger the patient”.

“We have warned against the unrealistic expectations set by reality ‘makeover’ shows and against crass competition prizes promising ‘mummy makeovers’ and body overhauls.

Have you bravely stumbled into work when ill? You're not alone. According to a survey published this week, the majority of UK workers go to work despite being sick, largely because of fears over job security.

In a poll of 1,600 workers conducted by Nuffield Health, 72% said they had gone into work while sick on at least one occasion in the last year. More alarmingly, 53% admitted that they may have risked colleagues' health by coming to work.

Moving can be a stressful time – even if you’re just going down the road. But what if you’re moving halfway across the world? Along with sorting out your home, taxes, the kids' schooling and all of the other items on your to-do list, don’t forget about your health. Kevin Melton, sales and marketing director at AXA PPP International, talks about health tips and what you can do before you go to ensure a smooth sailing into your new life.

Vaccinations

Depending on where you’re going, you may need to get vaccinated. For the latest information, you can check out the World Health Organisation website, or, if you have international health insurance, your provider should be able to help you, via either a medical helpline or an online personalised service.

On 18 October, the British Library, research organisation UKOLN and the Association of Medical Research Charities will launch the findings of the Patients Participate! project, in an event entitled Health in the Headlines: Making Sense of the Science?

The event – which is part of the British Library’s TalkScience series – will be chaired by Tracey Brown, director of the charitable trust Sense about Science.

Prime minister David Cameron has said that the government will consider introducing a tax to tackle Britain’s growing obesity levels.

Denmark recently became the first country in the world to impose a ‘fat tax’ on unhealthy foods.

The tax was approved as part of a goal to increase the average life expectancy of Danes. There is now a surcharge of 16 kroner (£1.85) for every kilogram of saturated fat in a product.