ALC Health’s Lauren Kingston has achieved a fantastic 8th place in the Mountain & Moorland Ridden Fell/Dales Pony of the Year competition at this year’s Horse of the Year competition at the NEC in Birmingham which show cases some of Britain’s finest native breeds. Texting back to the office this morning after her amazing performance, Lauren commented,“We were 8th.. He was amazing.. I’m so proud of him!!”.
An amazing result for Lauren and her horse and very well deserved. Next year……….
The Horse of Year Show is without doubt one of the great equine events of the year which brings together the very best riders from around the world.
This year on 9th October, ALC Health’s Lauren Kingston will be riding in the NPS/Baileys Horse Feeds Mountain & Moorland Ridden Fell/Dales Pony of the Year competition which show cases some of Britain’s finest native breeds.
This is a highly contested class and Lauren has worked incredibly hard to get through to this prestigious event which is being held at NEC arena near Birmingham.
Everyone at ALC Health wishes Lauren the very best and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a winning round.
The NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Report is a global study of British expatriates’ opinion and attitudes to living abroad. The Report, now in its sixth year, examines attitudes to lifestyle, employment and financial status and is conducted in conjunction with the Centre of Future Studies among 1,800 British expats.
Find out more here >
Around half of expats probably do not have sufficient international private medical insurance and risk the prospect of incurring heavy costs if they become ill or suffer a serious accident.
Industry data shows the percentage of expats who hold international private medical insurance standing at around the 50% mark.
Although international private medical insurance provides real peace of mind for those concerned about long term or chronic illnesses which may strike, this kind of insurance is equally relevant for helping expats who may have been injured in a car accident or who might be struck down with an unexpected illness.
More often than not, the cost of a course of medical treatment is unknown. International medical insurance premiums vary enormously and reflect medical costs. They are made up of many elements, not just the cost of the drugs, treatments and the wage of the specialist, local surgeon or doctor. It is also a fact that medical inflation tends to run at higher levels that normal consumer inflation, and inevitably, the cost of carrying out a procedure will be reflected in the premium rates.
As the party conference season gets underway, the NHS – and how to pay for healthcare – will be in the political headlines again reports the Health Insurance & protection Daily
Earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told the Liberal Democrat conference that he would fight to ring-fence the NHS budget against any other public spending cuts. And ahead of its own conference, UKIP has unveiled its own proposals for saving the NHS budget – compulsory medical insurance for migrants who do not qualify for free care on the health service.
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The international private medical insurance (iPMI) market has seen unsustainable premium rises in recent years. But while keeping a lid on international inflation is even more challenging than in the domestic PMI sector, across the industry insurers are working hard to control costs to ensure that cover remains affordable for policyholders the world over reports the Health Insurance & Protection Daily.
As an industry, we need to make sure that we are always paying the most competitive price for medical treatment from providers, without compromising the quality of care for policyholders. Prices for medical treatment can vary widely, even within a single jurisdiction, dependant on the approach and business model of the provider.
It’s also worth noting that the most expensive is not necessarily the best – particularly in emerging economies. Some expensive Western-style hospitals have a stranglehold on advertising and marketing budgets – but their prices are high and their clinical outcomes are not always the best. The key to managing cost is to build a real understanding of which hospitals and clinics deliver the most cost effective, high quality outcomes and to point members in their direction.
Negotiating agreed rates with healthcare providers is another essential tool in managing cost. Clearly in a global business with hundreds and thousands of medical providers, it is not possible to reach pricing agreements with every one. In each region, however, there are one or two major hospitals and hospitals which are frequently used by expatriates, where set prices can be agreed.
Education of individual and corporate clients also has an important role to play in cost containment. Policyholders need to know exactly what benefits their cover entitles them to and which treatment centres they can access.
Every employer will have their own approach to managing the medical claims process. The key is not to stop staff making a claim when it is necessary, but to ensure that only necessary treatments and benefits are utilised at reasonable costs.
Of course it can be a tricky balance for employers; they do not want to appear mean – or to give the impression that they are putting money before their employees’ healthcare. However, developing a culture of cost awareness among staff and keeping an open mind to the potential for overtreatment can have a significant impact on moderating premiums.
Sadly a proportion of the cost of rising premiums is caused by fraudulent claims. And the international dimension of iPMI makes combating healthcare fraud even more of a challenge. Not only do we need to identify potentially fraudulent claims by policyholders and providers, we also have to work across different time zones, in multiple languages, and at times in jurisdictions that are suffering wars and conflicts.
Frauds by individual members of schemes vary, but include failing to disclose previous medical history, claiming for treatment in respect of a pre-existing condition during a moratorium period, claiming for treatments or services not provided, or using somebody else’s insurance to obtain treatments or services. We have also seen incidences of invoices altered by members to inflate the cost of a claim.
As an industry we are also becoming increasingly alert to the dubious practices of a limited number of providers. These include billing for treatments that have not actually been performed, falsifying diagnosis or conducting unnecessary treatments or procedures. Another approach is to bill each stage of a single procedure separately in order to maximise revenue, or billing for a more complex version of the treatment or service actually provided.
We’re working hard to reduce fraud by introducing strict controls to deter, prevent, detect and investigate fraud as well as recovering payments whenever possible.
Top quality iPMI provides essential protection to expatriates and internationally mobile people. Without effective cover they and their families would be exposed to the risk of being unable to access medical treatment when needed. Across the industry insurers are aware of the importance of delivering a cost-effective, high quality product and are increasingly focusing resources on cost containment in order to ensure that premiums remain affordable for policyholders.
ALC Health are proud to be a co-sponsor of this years FUNDRAISING WALK “The Hidden Benahavis” which is being held on SATURDAY, 12TH OCTOBER 2013 where walkers will get the chance to discover the outstanding countryside and mountains behind the beautiful “White Village” of Benahavis. There will be 2 walks, one easy and the other a little more challenging and all walks will be guided and supervised.
If you would like to know more, perhaps even join in please follow the link:
http://www.rotaryclub-marbella-g.org/content/walking-charity-12th-october-2013-hidden-benahavis
Road accidents are one of the major risks for expats abroad and significantly impact on general expat health, being one of the top five causes of medical evacuations. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) study, 1.24 million people were killed on the world’s roads in 2010 writes Bryony Ashcroft
The Global status report on road safety 2013 presents information on road safety in 182 countries, accounting for 99% of the world’s population. Road accidents are the leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29 globally.
Middle-income countries have been hardest hit by rising road traffic accidents, these are emerging nations such as the BRICs and several Asian countries.
In these developing countries rapid access to healthcare can be a challenge. Something expats need to consider when choosing an international health insurance policy is whether they have medical evacuation included.
The study found only 28 countries, equating to 7 percent of the global population, have laws on five key risk factors: drink-driving, speeding, use of crash helmets, seatbelts and child restraints. However, enforcement of these rules, even in countries with existing legislation, is inadequate.
Health insurance for expatriates is a complicated industry, one which is constantly shifting. In Europe the impact of the economic crisis on health services has meant several countries have restricted access to expats and business travellers.
This comes at a time when business travel is increasing, despite persistent financial woes across much of the developed world. According to data from Euromonitor International, business travel has been steadily increasing to 212 million international arrivals in 2012.
With this increase in business travel, the constantly changing landscape of international health insurance and many countries tightening healthcare rules for expats, companies need to ensure they provide emergency evacuation coverage as part of their employee medical insurance package.
Reproduced with kind permission of expathealth.org
One of the benefits of expat life is improved weather, especially for northern Europeans. We all know a little sunshine is good for us, and even recommended. However, many people are still unaware of the risks they are taking in the sun writes Bryony Ashcroft
A recent survey shows that while many Europeans have traditionally fair skin, nearly half (48%) think their skin is darker than it is in reality. This could mean people don’t appreciate the damage they are doing when exposing their skin to the sun, especially in countries where it tends to be stronger.
With public awareness of skin cancer at an all time high, why are skin cancer rates still growing? One reason may be related to how we see our skin, thinking it’s darker than it is causes us to stay in the sun longer than we should.
The survey also discovered the desire for a tan is increasing, with 62 percent of people questioned revealing they think a tan is attractive, up from 56 percent five years ago. Over three quarters (80%) of us never check for signs of skin cancer, with a shocking 69 percent admitting they didn’t know what to look for.
Many of us have dark patches or raised moles on our skin, while these usually remain harmless it is important to recognise any changes.
Cancer Research UK recommends checking moles following the ABCD rule. If you notice any of these signs then see your doctor:
You should also look out for a new growth or sore that won’t heal; a spot, mole or sore that itches or hurts; and a mole or growth that bleeds, crusts or scabs.
Reproduced by kind permission of expathealth.org