Paying for private healthcare

We accept patients who will be paid for by private medical insurance, sponsored by a third party or are paying for their own treatment (self-funding).

If you are paying for your own treatment we will ask you to pay a deposit before you are admitted to hospital to cover the expected costs. You will be provided with a detailed estimate by the administration team.

The cost of care can vary greatly depending on any unexpected tests or treatment you may need and your medical costs may extend beyond the initial cost estimate of your planned treatment.

Your treatment and consultations will only start when we have received payment for your care. We recommend that you check with our billing team to keep track of any costs and to make sure that you have the funds available to cover your ongoing treatment.

We accept most major credit and debit cards with the exception of American Express.

We have direct settlement arrangements with most major private medical insurance companies. You will need to request a pre-authorisation code from your insurer to share with our administration team.

If we cannot confirm your cover, or if we don't have an arrangement with your insurer, you will need to pay a deposit to cover the full estimated cost of your treatment in advance. If we receive authorisation or a letter of guarantee from your insurer after this, you will be refunded.

If you change your insurance provider during your treatment please make sure you let us know before your new policy takes effect. You are liable for any charges to your account where your insurer does not pay in full.

Please make sure that you understand what your insurance policy covers, and any payment limits that may be applied to your treatment. If any aspect of your insurance cover and personal liability feels unclear, please contact your insurance company for clarification.

We have arrangements with some overseas embassies and third parties that allow us to invoice and receive payment directly on behalf of patients.

Where there is an agreement in place, we must receive a letter of guarantee (LOG) before you are admitted and treated. Any correspondence regarding these will usually be managed directly between our staff and your embassy.

Please bring your LOG with you to your first appointment. If we don’t receive this, we will ask you to pay a deposit to cover the appointment costs in advance. If at a later stage the LOG is received, we will refund this money to you.

For any queries about payment, please contact our billing team by calling 020 3448 4260 or email us via uclh.privatepatientbilling@nhs.net