Working for Health Insurers
Before a private medical insurer (PMI) will pay a consultant directly for treating their customers, consultants need to register with them. This may involve providing copies of documents that will satisfy the PMI that the consultant is suitably qualified to provide medical care to their customers.
Virtually all insurance companies use the GP or specialist as the gatekeeper for access to a dermatologist, although some specify patients choose from an approved list of specialists in their local area. The majority of insurance companies will limit the number of sessions reimbursed per course of treatment.
A membership organisation such as the BAD or the BMA are unable to set private practice fees or benefits with health insurers, as this would attract unwelcome interest from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The four of the top health insurers (AXA, AVIVA, BUPA and Vitality) use the CCSD codes for recording procedures accessible here. CCSD aims to ensure that procedural and diagnostic tests are coded and classified in a consistent and standardised manner, facilitating effective data collection, reimbursement, and healthcare management. The BAD is currently working to update the dermatology codes of the CCSD to align the terminology with NHS outpatient procedure codes.
The five largest PMIs are listed below:
Health Insurers
