Many private medical insurance policies specify a network of hospitals which subscribers are required to use. The number and type of hospitals included in networks can vary significantly, not only between different insurers, but also between different policies from the same insurer. This approach allows the insurers to control costs by negotiating special rates with the hospital groups. Generally, policies with more restricted networks charge lower premiums.
The CareHealth Directory of Private Hospitals lists 279 independently owned hospitals and NHS private patient units. These are the principal suppliers of private acute medical treatment in the UK. Several policies include additional hospitals, often pay beds in NHS hospitals.
In the following table the first line shows the number of hospitals belonging to each of the major independent groups plus NHS Private Patient Units. Subsequent lines give the number of hospitals in each category available for each type of policy. The second table gives the coverage for 32 major London hospitals, and follows the same format.
| UK Hospitals Included in Insurers' Networks | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMI | BUPA | Nuffield | NHS PPUs | CHG | HCA | Abbey | Other | Total | |
| No. of hospitals in each category | 44 | 36 | 40 | 88 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 279 |
| BUPA Heartbeat National Access | 44 | 36 | 40 | 88 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 30 | 272 |
| BUPA Heartbeat Local Access | 42 | 36 | 39 | 0 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 166 |
| AXA PPP healthcare: All Policies | 38 | 32 | 24 | 46 | 21 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 193 |
| Norwich Union Express Care/6 - No Capital Option | 43 | 36 | 39 | 79 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 30 | 261 |
| Norwich Union Express Care/6 - Capital Option | 39 | 36 | 39 | 74 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 27 | 243 |
| Norwich Union Select Care/6 | 38 | 36 | 39 | 79 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 246 |
| Norwich Union Personal Care/6 | 40 | 36 | 39 | 79 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 248 |
| Norwich Union Fair+Square/ Starter | 42 | 12 | 38 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 121 |
| Norwich Union Trust Care/6/ Starter | 8 | 0 | 1 | 74 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 85 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Extended London Upgrade | 44 | 36 | 40 | 87 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 33 | 274 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Extended | 38 | 36 | 40 | 87 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 255 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Countrywide London Upgrade | 1 | 36 | 40 | 87 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 224 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Countrywide | 1 | 36 | 40 | 87 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 216 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Choices London Upgrade | 38 | 36 | 40 | 87 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 34 | 269 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Choices | 38 | 36 | 40 | 85 | 22 | 2 | 6 | 34 | 263 |
| WPA: All Policies including XS health | 42 | 34 | 40 | 88 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 36 | 274 |
The following table is in the same format, but shows the London hospitals included in each plan.
| London Hospitals Included in Insurers' Networks | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMI | BUPA | Nuffield | NHS PPUs | CHG | HCA | Abbey | Other | Total | |
| No. of London hospitals in each category | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 32 |
| BUPA Heartbeat National Access | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 30 |
| BUPA Heartbeat Local Access | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 13 |
| AXA PPP healthcare: All Policies | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 26 |
| Norwich Union Express Care/6 - No Capital Option | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 30 |
| Norwich Union Express Care/6 - Capital Option | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
| Norwich Union Select Care/6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 |
| Norwich Union Personal Care/6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 |
| Norwich Union Fair+Square/ Starter | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Norwich Union Trust Care/6/ Starter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Extended London Upgrade | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 32 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Extended | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Countrywide London Upgrade | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Primecare Countrywide | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Choices London Upgrade | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 29 |
| Standard Life Healthcare Choices | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| WPA: All Policies including XS health | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 32 |