Changes in BUPA Insurance recognition for new consultants.

July 2010

BUPA recognition for newly appointed consultants July 2010 BUPA Insurance have announced that they are introducing new Terms and Conditions for newly appointed consultants. This insurer has held up recognition for the previous six months and is now planning to introduce a contract for young consultants which allows the insurer to request detailed information of a personal, administrative and clinical nature. In addition, newly appointed consultants are restricted to a fixed fee schedule namely the BUPA Maxima whilst there is some area of negotiation still apparently open for consultation fees.

This news has generally proved unacceptable to the profession. The LCA is working with FIPO and other like-minded professional organisations to review this situation. There is a suggestion in the BUPA documentation that they may wish to apply some form of fixed fee schedule for established consultants although BUPA tell us that this is not imminent.

The results of a survey of consultant opinion about the BUPA approach can be found on the FIPO website at www.fipo.org