If you are hoping to use private medical insurance to cover the cost of your treatment the following points may help:
Telephone your insurance company to see if they are willing to fund a consultation with Mr Michael Gaunt. Remember, as the patient you have the right to see the consultant of your choice. Some insurance companies try to redirect patients to cheaper consultants who are usually less experienced with scare stories of large excess payments – these are not correct.
Mr Gaunt performs a duplex ultrasound scan as part of all his vein consultations, to offer a one-stop service, and it is important to get this authorised as well as the consultation. Mr Gaunt is recognised by all major medical insurance companies. Insurance companies like to be informed from the beginning of the patient’s journey with the consultant in order to be able to set up a case file for their treatment.
Find out from your insurance company whether they require you to have a GP referral letter in order to be able to see Mr Michael Gaunt for an initial consultation. For some insurance companies this is required but for others it is not a requirement. If a GP referral letter is required, please make an appointment to see your General Practitioner to be able to obtain a referral letter.
Once you have seen Mr Michael Gaunt for your initial consultation and he has recommended treatment of your condition it is important to seek authorisation for any further procedure from your insurance company. Most procedures carry a special code, called a procedure code, which Mr Gaunt’s office will inform you of.
On receipt of the procedure code and a date arranged for your treatment you should telephone your insurance company with this information and they can then let you know whether you are eligible to go ahead with the treatment and give you an authorisation number to pass onto Mr Michael Gaunt’s office and the hospital.
It is the patient’s responsibility to authorise all consultations and treatment / procedures with their insurance company prior to these taking place. Most insurance companies are very helpful if this approach is taken.
