Since October 2007 insurers must use or move to use by 2008, certain ABI agreed definitions
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
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.
Nurse
A qualified nurse who is on the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and holds a valid NMC personal identification number
Out patient
A patient who attends a hospital, consulting room, or outpatient clinic and is not admitted as a day patient or an inpatient
Treatment
Surgical or medical services (including diagnostic tests) that are needed to diagnose, relieve or cure a disease, illness or injury
Note- some insurers use the term 'active treatment'. This has the potential to confuse customers given the current agreed definition of treatment. If insurers insist on still using the term active treatment – they must fully explain what it is with a specific definition-they cannot leave the phrase hanging in mid air.
And also, insurers must;
Be clear about private medical insurance - when cover starts and ends, what is covered, and limits on benefits.
Treat all customer information as confidential.
