Mental Health Action Week

This week is Mental Health Action Week where The Mental Health Foundation is trying to raise awareness of what can be done to promote good mental health. Health insurance companies vary greatly in their offerings for mental health. Some offer no psychiatric cover at all whereas others offer limited amounts.

The problem for medical insurance companies is that mental health problems are more common that the general public realise. According to the statistics one third of patients visits GPs in relation to mental health concerns, in particular for mild depression and anxiety related complaints. What this means for us is that most companies cannot offer psychiatric cover because too many people would use it and this would force up the price of premiums accross the board.

Who Offers Psychiatric Cover?

• Pruhealth offers cover in both their midrange and comprehensive policies up to £7,000 and £20,000 respectively for inpatient psychiatry in any one year and £750 in inpatient care.
• Standard Life offers psychiatric cover in their comprehensive policy with an excess of £250
• CS Healthcare offer cover up to £1000 in any one year with an excess of 15% of treatment cost
• Aviva offer cover in their comprehensive policy of up to £1,000 a year for inpatient care and £500 for outpatient psychiatric care with the psychiatry element as an optional extra
• Bupa offer 28 days of outpatient care and up to £1,000 of outpatient care per anum
• The National Friendly Society offer up to 28 days of outpatient cover
• The Permanent Health Company offer up to 28 days of outpatient cover and up to £1,00o per year in outpatient cover.
  

Who Does not Offer Psychiatric Cover?
Budget policies hardly never include psychiatric cover however Health-on-line do offer a psychiatric add on option on their policies.

Self Help Steps
According to the Mental Health Foundation there are many steps that we can take to help us stay mentally well and reduce the likelihood that we will need medical intervention:

1. Talk about your feelings
2. Keep active
3. Eat well
4. Drink sensibly
5. Keep in touch
6. Ask for help
7. Take a break
8. Do something you are good at
9. Accept who you are
10. Care for others