Health Insurance for Cancer Glossary

Health insurance policies can be complicated and they vary a great deal from one to the other. When it comes to health insurance for cancer there are even more complications. Different policies offer varying degrees of cover. Becoming savy with the terminology of medical insurance policies will help you to choose the best cover for you.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) which regulates the health insurance industry has a set of common definitions which I have replicated here. This is a good starting point but of course is not exhaustive. Each company will have refined definitions of their own.

Acute condition
'A disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment which aims to return you to the state of health you were in immediately before suffering the disease, illness or injury, or which leads to your full recovery.'

Cancer
'A malignant tumour, tissues or cells, characterised by the uncontrolled growth and spread of malignant cells and invasion of tissue.'

Chronic condition
‘A disease, illness, or injury that has one or more of the following characteristics:

• it needs ongoing or long-term monitoring through consultations, examinations, check-ups, and/or tests
• it needs ongoing or long-term control or relief of symptoms
• it requires your rehabilitation or for you to be specially trained to cope with it
• it continues indefinitely
• it has no known cure
• it comes back or is likely to come back.’

Day patient
'A patient who is admitted to a hospital or day patient unit because they need a period of medically supervised recovery but does not occupy a bed overnight.'

Diagnostic tests
'Investigations, such as x-rays or blood tests, to find or to help to
find the cause of your symptoms.'

Inpatient
'A patient who is admitted to hospital and who occupies a bed overnight or longer, for medical reasons.'

Outpatient
'A patient who attends a hospital, consulting room, or outpatient clinic and is not admitted as a day patient or an inpatient.'

Pre-existing condition
'Any disease, illness or injury for which:

• you have received medication, advice or treatment; or
• you have experienced symptoms;

Whether the condition has been diagnosed or not in the XX* years before the start of your cover.'

(*this time scale varied between insurers)