The number of patients paying out of their own pockets to self fund hip and knee replacements has increased by 167% and 127% respectively on pre pandemic levels.
This according to figures from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN), which compare July to September 2019 figures against the same period in 2021. They also reveal the third largest increase was cataract operations at 63%.
However, the figure for those paying for private healthcare with an insurance policy saw a decline.
According to PHIN’s analysis, while overall the number of people opting to use private healthcare has remained broadly the same, more people are opting to use the ‘self-pay’ route.
For the quarter to September 2019, 49,700 people opted to self-fund all types of private treatment, while for the corresponding months in 2021 – as pandemic restrictions eased – 67,100 people chose this route, up 35%.
Across the same periods, there was a 16% drop in those paying for private healthcare through their own insurance policy from 141,900 to 119,100.
When it comes to hip replacements, 1,800 people self-funded during the 2019 period compared to 4,800 in the 2021 period.
Similarly, 8,100 opted to self-fund for cataract surgery during July and September 2019 compared to 13,200 during the same period in 2021. Knee replacements rose from 1,100 to 2,500.
In contrast, those paying via pre-existing insurance policies in place saw only single digit percentage increases during these periods with hip operations increasing by 4% (from 2,300 to 2,400), cataract surgery up by 6% (from 7,100 to 7,500) and knee replacements up 6% (from 1,600 to 1,700).
Matt James, chief executive of the Private Healthcare Information Network, said: “Our data shows a significant rise in people paying out of their own pocket for common procedures like joint replacements and cataract surgery since the pandemic. However, levels of private care overall are flat, as activity levels for people who have private insurance remain lower after the pandemic
“PHIN’s role is to help people make sure they are fully informed, so they make the choices that are right for them and avoid any nasty surprises. This is especially important for anybody who is new to private healthcare and paying themselves, as they do not have an insurer to help them.
“It’s important to know what questions to ask, and to choose hospitals and consultants that are transparent about their costs and clinical performance. I would urge people to check that their care providers appear on our independent website, which is there to help people research their options with both guidance and data.”