Frequently Asked Questions

In a perfect world, we'd provide our members with every kind of healthcare possible. Because we believe in keeping memberships costs down, there are certain areas that we’re currently unable to offer help with.

We'll continue working hard to improve and extend our services. Unfortunately, we currently cannot pay for:

• Diagnostic consultations with consultants who do not have an NHS post and are not registered with a royal college such as the Royal College of Surgeons or Physicians
• Appointments with specialists such as radiologists, dentists, opticians or complementary therapists, pain management specialists
• IVF treatment
• Cosmetic, breast, plastic, sterilisation, nerve, dental or maxillofacial surgery, or surgery for transplants
• Surgery for arterial, cardiac, neurological or complex orthopaedic problems or Bariatric surgery
• Consultations, tests and treatment outside the UK
• Cancer care services which are delivered by non-UK, non-VAT registered organisations
• Retrospective services, where our written authorisation has not been sought.

Self Pay Treatment

Where we do not provide treatment, you or your family may wish to fund it privately - and we offer a simple guide to explain the process.

Among other useful topics, it covers choosing a consultant, choosing a hospital and finance.

For a free copy of the Self-Pay Treatment Guide, just call us on 0845 052 5702*. Lines are open 8am - 8pm Monday to Friday.

For further information, please review the Guide To Society Services pdf.

* If you're abroad, please dial +44 845 052 5702.

You use your judgement...

Essentially, we offer select advisory and preventative services which members can use straight away at any time; plus diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services which members can request after six months of membership. Should members of a corporate healthcare scheme wish to take advantage of the latter services (with the exception of treatment for TB which is available on a non-discretionary basis), we ask that they consider how urgent their case is before contacting us, for instance, if your employees are very worried, or if waiting for the NHS will affect their quality of life. The reason for this is because we are not medical insurers so we cannot provide guaranteed services, instead we use our discretion.

...how we use our discretion

We use our discretion to consider member's cases based on needs and available Society resources. For example, we will aim to step in if we feel that quality of life will suffer during a long wait on the NHS. This way, we can help those who are in real need and keep contribution rates affordable for all.

Setting up a Benenden Healthcare Corporate scheme is quick and straightforward to do. Simply call our dedicated corporate team on 0845 052 5730*(9-5pm, Mon-Fri, excluding Bank Holidays) and they will be able to start the process over the phone. Following your phone call, they will send you out all the relevant information you will need to complete the process, which will include:

• Your letter of agreement
• Your summary of the key facts

You will also be required to complete your member listing so that we can ensure that every member of your staff is included in your scheme – this is an Excel spreadsheet which you will need to populate with the details of all of your employees.

Once these steps have been completed we can set your payment plan up according to your preference, and discuss with you a suitable payment option (although we would usually receive payment via BACS).

You will be allocated a Corporate Account Manager once your scheme has been set up, but if you have any questions or problems along the way, our corporate team will be more than happy to assist you.

As part of their Benenden Healthcare membership, your staff will also have exclusive access to our online Members’ Area, where they will be able to access a wealth of health and wellbeing information designed to help them and their families take control of their own health and wellbeing.

In addition to the healthcare protection your staff receive as part of their standard membership, corporate scheme members aged between 17 – 65 (inclusive) are eligible to join the Benenden Health Cash Plan, which provides reimbursements towards dental, optical and other treatments that are not covered as part of their Benenden Healthcare membership scheme. The Cash Plan is available at no extra cost to the employer, and staff can set up a separate direct debit to cover the cost of membership. What’s more, you can choose between Single and Family plans with a choice of four different levels.

The Cash Plan product is marketed by the Friendly Healthcare Organisation Limited (FHOL), which is a subsidiary of the Benenden Healthcare Society. Engage Mutual Health (EMH) are the insurer of the Cash Plan. Further details about the Cash Plan and the various levels of cover available to your employees can be found on the Benenden Health Cash Plan website.

Absolutely – and this can be done at no additional cost to you the employer.

• Corporate members can set up a separate Direct Debit to cover the cost of their friends and family
• Alternatively, they can add friends and family to their membership at no additional cost to themselves. In this instance, their friends and family members can join their membership and set up their own Direct Debit from their bank account.

Family and friends can join at the same great rate of £1.50 per person, per week, regardless of age or medical history.

In the first instance, we would advise your staff to contact a member of the Benenden Healthcare Member Services team on 0845 052 5733* (8am-5pm, Mon-Fri) who will be able to talk through the available options.

Please note, if your staff become a member of the Benenden Health Cash Plan, their Cash Plan cover is guaranteed to include their spouse or partner and any dependent children under the age of 18.

If you do not understand any of the following points please email or call us

The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited (Registered No: 480F) is a mutual not-for profit friendly society owned by and run for our members.

1. Benenden Healthcare membership is initially available to current or former employees of the public sector, and other approved organisations whose aims and objectives are deemed compatible with those of the Society. Examples of such employers are the Post Office, Civil Service, BT, mutual organisations and not-for-profit organisations. Employees or members of approved UK-registered charities, co-operatives or credit unions are also eligible.

2. The Society is not a private medical insurer. We provide healthcare services on a discretionary basis, except treatment for TB, which is a contractual service.
3. Our services may vary according to the needs of the member, the resources available or over time.
4. Significant exclusions to our services are: appointments with radiologists, dentists, opticians or complementary therapists; IVF treatment; cosmetic, breast, plastic, sterilisation, nerve, dental or maxillofacial surgery, or surgery for transplants; surgery for arterial, cardiac or complex orthopaedic problems; diagnostic consultations with consultants who do not have an NHS post or who are not registered with a royal college such as the Royal College of Surgeons or Physicians.
5. Some of our services have a six-month qualifying period.
6. Service restrictions apply to members and nominated family and friends living outside the UK.
7. Members and nominated family and friends must call our Member Services Team on 0845 052 5701* for prior authorisation to make sure we can support the help required.
8. Members have 14-days from the day they receive their welcome pack and membership card, to cancel their membership.**
9. Membership of the Society will continue until such time as a member decides to cancel or until their membership contribution stops being paid. A member may cancel their membership at any time without incurring penalty charges.
10. Members may become actively involved in how the Society is run by attending branch meetings.
11. If you work or have worked as a civil servant you can choose which branch you belong to. If you belong to one of our National Branches but would prefer to join a branch nearer home, you can transfer to a Local Branch. Or if you have been allocated to a Local Branch but would prefer to rejoin colleagues in a National Branch, please just let us know. You can e-mail thesecretary@benenden.org.uk or write to The Secretary, The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York YO26 4GG.
12. If you are not satisfied with our service, you should call us or write to us so that we can learn from any problems that occur. However, if you have been through both stages of our complaints procedure, and you are still unhappy with our response, you can take appropriate matters to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
13. This summary does not contain comprehensive information about the Society and its services. Please refer to any additional information we have provided. Full terms and conditions are contained in our Rulebook (pdf) and our Guide to Society Services (pdf) or on request by calling 0845 052 5701*.

* If you're abroad, please dial +44 845 052 5701.

** You are entitled to cancel your membership of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited within 14 days of receipt of this Welcome Pack. If you do decide to cancel your membership, you can do so by writing to the Member Services Department, The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG. Alternatively you can e-mail the Society at membershiprelations@benenden.org.uk or call 0845 052 5701*. Please include your membership number in all correspondence. Cancellations beyond the 14-day cancellation period will not result in reimbursement of contributions already paid.

Offering a healthcare scheme such as ours is a clear indication that your organisation cares about the health and wellbeing of your workforce. It can also act as an important addition to your staff benefit package, which in turn can help to improve staff retention and the recruitment of high quality employees, whilst also improving the staff morale and motivation amongst your existing employees.

For information about the cost savings and for information on how we may be able to help you to control sickness absence rates please visit the Corporate Healthcare website.