Medical insurance patients are increasing
Private medical insurance inpatient/day-case admissions are on the rise, new figures from the Private Healthcare Information Network (IHPN) reveal.
It reports that, in the fourth quarter of 2022, procedures paid for with private medical insurance reached their highest rate since the pandemic.
‘This continues the upward trend over the past few quarters and it is the first time insured admissions have reached over 140,000 since Q4 2019,’ IHPN says.
‘In 2022, insured admissions were higher than the two previous years and only 6% below 2019.’
Year Total admissions Difference with 2022 (%)
2022 547,000 N/A
2021 496,000 -9
2020 380,000 -31
2019 580,000 6
Insured inpatient/day-case admissions in the regions by year (rounded)
Region 2019 2020 2021 2022
East Midlands 20,000 14,000 19,000 21,000
East of England 66,000 43,000 56,000 63,000
London 205,000 145,000 174,000 193,000
North-east 8,000 4,000 6,000 7,000
North-west 40,000 24,000 33,000 37,000
South-east 116,000 76,000 98,000 108,000
South-west 31,000 18,000 29,000 29,000
West Midlands 33,000 20,000 28,000 30,000
Yorkshire and
The Humber 21,000 13,000 19,000 21,000
PHIN said insured admissions last year were above 2021 levels in every English region except the South-west where they were the same.
‘Every region except the East Midlands – which had a 5% increase in 2022 on 2019 – and Yorkshire and The Humber – which stayed the same – remains below pre-pandemic levels. The North-east has had the biggest fall (-13%), but from the lowest base.
‘London and the South-east remain the regions with the highest levels of insured admissions.’
Insured inpatient/day-case admissions in the devolved nation by year (rounded)
Devolved nations 2019 2020 2021 2022
Northern Ireland 3,000 2,000 3,000 3,000
Scotland 24,000 14,000 20,000 22,000
Wales 27,000 16,000 23,000 26,000
The data provider said insured admissions had remained constant in Northern Ireland.