Insurance

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Vets fees are lower in different parts of the country. The other side of the Malvern Hills about 7 miles away, it is cheaper!

I only know Cornwall, but the prices there are significantly higher than any other country I've been to the vet in, including the United States. I really think the fact that so many people have insurance drives the prices up. I'm not recommending people DON'T have insurance, but for the life of me I cannot comprehend otherwise why the UK is SO DARN EXPENSIVE.

The way I travel, I can't have vet insurance, so I don't. I don't know what I'd do if I lived in the UK. Carbon likely would be sky high because of the heart worm and Leish. I'll just keep getting my credit card out.

 

[Selina27]

Hubby thinks Vet fees may be less in different areas however I doubt it varies that much. My brother in law is a vet (married to Sister in law in Wales) and I doubt he'd settle for almost half the pay for the same job. He still has two kids to get through university and ponies to look after.

I think it can vary from place to place, although the cost of medication must be the same.

 

[chrisc831]

@Emily_Babbelhund i reckon you’ve hit the nail on the head….. its expensive in the U.K. because we mostly have insurance, in exactly the same way that human medical bills in the U.S. are expensive because it’s largely paid for by insurance. It’s just a big ole way of generating (shareholder?) money.

 

[Natalie]

@Emily_Babbelhund i reckon you’ve hit the nail on the head….. its expensive in the U.K. because we mostly have insurance, in exactly the same way that human medical bills in the U.S. are expensive because it’s largely paid for by insurance. It’s just a big ole way of generating (shareholder?) money.

This is how the conversation went today with Petplan. I asked for justification for such a hike between year one and two. The response: increased vet fees ( is this true? Maybe a couple of % increase to match inflation) along with increased options for treatment ( maybe) plus the age of dog ( turning one? I doubt it.)

There may be more options for animals now, but do they all cost more? Maybe the new drugs do, a bit, but I see no sign of the 'old' drugs ( tramadol, Meloxicam ) getting cheaper. Isn't there a limit to the number of treatments a dog can have? You don't just load up new drugs and treatments on top of the old ones.

So, I think you are probably spot on.

 

[Jacqui-S]

they all cost more? Maybe the new drugs do, a bit, but I see no sign of the 'old' drugs ( tramadol, Meloxicam ) getting cheaper.

COST PRICE of non-branded 30x 50mg Tramadol is £1.10, and meloxicam 7.5mg x 30 around £3.20.
Obviously there is a dispensing charge and packaging charge for all meds. And these are for human pills/doses.
It's why I get ticked off at paying £30 for 30 dog strength co-codamol.
We are spoiled in the NHS particularly in Scotland where our prescriptions are free.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

ts expensive in the U.K. because we mostly have insurance, in exactly the same way that human medical bills in the U.S. are expensive because it’s largely paid for by insurance.

Yes, this was my logic. Expensive insurance in the US drives up medical costs there. I still remember when the finance office in the hospital here in Regensburg went through the fees for my hospital stay before my surgery and got to "room cost per night". I could have EUR35 per night shared, or EUR45 for private. I nearly laughed my head off...and immediately said, "Private please". Same costs in the US are between are around $4000 per day (shared) up to $10K private.

Bottom line: insurance is really a double-edged sword if there's no government regulation to keep it in check.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Sorry, babbling a bit here, but another interesting thing in the US is plastic surgery. If you get ELECTIVE surgery and stay overnight in a private surgery clinic, its only $300-500 or so. This is because NO ONE has insurance for stuff like a face lift, so everyone is paying cash and the price scale is completely different from a public hospital. Huge difference in prices. Plus the rooms are super nice.

 

[Selina27]

We are spoiled in the NHS particularly in Scotland where our prescriptions are free.

Yes, this exactly, it's the same in Wales.

 

[Stacia]

I worked for a vet in the days when vets' fees were affordable by most people. I am quite sure the costs have risen so high due to insurance.

 

[Beanwood]

I think some of the hike in vets fees is due to the cost per session rising when the add costs of PPE/ extra cleaning in between patients etc...cost of the pharmaceuticals won't have much impact on insurance as drug costs are a bit up and down anyway depending on the generic market changing pricing.

 

[Stacia]

I think some of the hike in vets fees is due to the cost per session rising when the add costs of PPE/ extra cleaning in between patients etc...cost of the pharmaceuticals won't have much impact on insurance as drug costs are a bit up and down anyway depending on the generic market changing pricing.

It was expensive before Covid and all (most) patients were seen outside in car park, thus no extra cleaning between patients. I also think Credit cards have helped as well, people could pay on credit cards, even if they got into debt to the credit card company. I do agree that the vet does have a lot of expenses to pay and there isn't always that much left, but it has become ridiculous.

 

[David]

You have to wonder if it would be better to put, say, £75 per month into a deposit account rather than pay the fees. The problem of course arises if there is anything major wrong with the dog. For example, Lady's ED cost thousands to put right.

 

[Natalie]

Our neighbours have two collies, nearly 11 years old. One had a series of fits during the hot weather. Vet has recommended an MRI scan, approximate cost £3,000. Dogs are uninsured as they inherited them from an elderly parent. If the scan did show a brain tumour which is what the vet says, surgery would be £6k plus.
The vet seemed surprised that they have turned down the MRI and are just going to treat with meds for now.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Our neighbours have two collies, nearly 11 years old. One had a series of fits during the hot weather. Vet has recommended an MRI scan, approximate cost £3,000. Dogs are uninsured as they inherited them from an elderly parent. If the scan did show a brain tumour which is what the vet says, surgery would be £6k plus.
The vet seemed surprised that they have turned down the MRI and are just going to treat with meds for now.

That's such a difficult decision. When my Mama Jodhi was just plain old Jodi and a foster dog, she tore her ACL. The shelter I was fostering for would pay to amputate the leg or euthanise her. My mom and I went in 50/50 on her TPLO and she officially became my dog. Luckily we could afford it. Then Brogan needed TWO TPLOs. I called them my "new car" for many years. Much better use of the money than a new car, but yeah...if you don't have the money to begin with, so many tough decisions.

Even if I was eligible for insurance, I would feel really doubtful about buying it because of all the tales I've heard about it not paying out. And that's not just dog insurance. My own medical insurance fought with me for 1,5 years about reimbursing my cancer surgery and treatment as they said it was a 'pre-existing condition' even though I'd never had cancer before. They wouldn't tell me WHAT pre-existing condition either. Finally turns out that they based their decision on the fact that I'd claimed a EUR20 tube of prescription skin ointment because the chemo made me break out in a rash. They finally admitted that because I had declared 'acne' as a pre-existing condition, they'd denied my entire cancer treatment based on that one tube of ointment.

I hate them with a passion, but am stuck paying them thousands a year - still! - and never being reimbursed anything because I need 'proof of insurance' to stay in Germany. Dirtbags.

 

[ChowsRFab]

I had been with Sainsbury's Pet Insurance for 8 years, they were always good at paying out and never queried anything I claimed for. The policy had a max payout level of £7500 per condition which we used in 3 years for her OA. It was therefore excluded when we received our renewal which had gone up from £1200 to nearly £2k!!!!! As her meds cost almost that a year we decided just to fund them direct. She is now 10 and a half. I do hope that all these people that went out and bought puppies in lockdown know what they could be letting themselves in for in the course of their dogs lifetime. Insurance is a minefield and you only find out you've got it wrong when you need it the most.

 

[JES72]

Insurance is a minefield and you only find out you've got it wrong when you need it the most.

So true !!!!

 

[Jintie]

Having had dogs with complex veterinary problems in the past, when I got my current dogs (and one I lost) they were insured at 8 weeks old with M & S on their "For Life" plan. The problem with this (as far as I understood) is you're stuck with them, as if you change you would lose the "for life" cover by changing insurer. By the time they were 10, 10 & 7 years old the monthly premium for them all was about £500 and unsustainable. Vet's fees themselves are at a ridiculous level, having spent the last 12 weeks at the vets, it's averaged about £120 a visit. I think they presume this will be paid by insurers. It's very sad that the pleasure of owning a pet (never mind buying one) is going to be out of reach for many families who could otherwise provide a loving, happy home. I'd like to see some sort of industry legislation that "For Life" should be transferable between insurers to ensure fairness. Grrrrr...one of my pet hates

 

[David]

We had Lady with M&S to start with. Very good but the premium became eye watering after her ED operation.

 

[Stacia]

It's very sad that the pleasure of owning a pet (never mind buying one) is going to be out of reach for many families who could otherwise provide a loving, happy home. I'd like to see some sort of industry legislation that "For Life" should be transferable between insurers to ensure fairness. Grrrrr...one of my pet hates

At one vet I worked at, the consulting room was half open to the office, but hidden! I used to hate hearing people say they couldn't afford the treatment and some animals had to be put to sleep because of this. I used to want to jump up and suddenly appear and say "I'll pay". That was in the days when treatment was expensive but not eye wateringly so as it is now..