SovereignTuesday 14 December 2010, 1:57PM
Media release from Sovereign
Leading New Zealand life and health insurer Sovereign has extended
its cover for GP minor surgery, making it easier for General
Practitioners to treat patients for a wider range of minor surgical
procedures.
Sovereign's Chief Medical Officer, Dr John Mayhew says that
Sovereign recognises there are many cases where primary health
providers could have treated their patients rather than referring
them to secondary providers, which would allow General
Practitioners to provide definitive patient care at the
outset.
"Last year Sovereign introduced a change to health insurance
policies that benefited our customers and primary health providers
- providing cover for GPs to perform minor surgery for the excision
of lesions, moles and cysts.
"Now, we are pleased to extend that cover to allow GPs to perform
even more minor surgical procedures. Previously, patients were
covered for these procedures when performed by specialists
only."
From 8 November, the GP minor surgery benefit[1] was extended to
include cover for wedge resection, varicose vein treatment, allergy
desensitisation and vasectomy procedures.
"As well as carrying out the procedure GPs will be able to further
strengthen their patient-GP relationship by treating patients at
the outset," says Dr Mayhew.
The news is good for patients who hold Sovereign health insurance.
From an affordability perspective, they will receive $250 per
treatment to a maximum of $500 per year, towards the cost charged
for wedge resection treatment, excision of lesions, moles and
cysts, as well as get more immediate treatment.
For allergy desensitisation injections, varicose vein treatment and
vasectomy procedures, patients will receive $450 per treatment to a
maximum of $900 per year, towards the cost charged, as well as get
treatment from GPs specially qualified to perform varicose vein and
vasectomy procedures[2].
Dr Mayhew says there is no excess on the GP minor surgery benefit
and patients don't need to do anything additional to take advantage
of the upgrade as their policies will be automatically updated.
"Alternatively, they can seek prior approval with Sovereign before
the treatment and we will reimburse GP's directly."