If you've searched Google for private medical insurance that covers neuroblastoma then you are most likely for looking for established UK based health insurance providers that can cover neuroblastoma.
Our advice when shopping around for private medical insurance that covers neuroblastoma is to speak to a insurance broker. Health insurance is very complex and if you want complete certainty that neuroblastoma is covered you should consult with a broker who can explain which policy providers will cover this medical condition and which will exclude it.
There are many advantages to using a broker but the largest by far is that you're using their insurance training at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than you so it costs you no extra to use their services.
- Do you reside in many different areas? Some will give you a cheaper premium than offers. A broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance claim? A broker will know this critical information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your insurance policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different policies?
- You've developed a certain condition and want to know which insurer offers the largest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you so much time and effort.
You can call around every health insurance provider you can find and ask if they cover neuroblastoma, however this will be a very time consuming process. Each insurer will ask for your medical history because its not normally a simple yes or not if a medical condition is covered or not.
Its far far quicker to speak to one medical insurance broker which will know which policy providers on the market cover neuroblastoma and under what terms they do or don't cover it.
Neuroblastoma Information
Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer that mostly affects young children. It develops from nerve cells called neuroblasts.
These cells are found in a chain running down the back of the chest and stomach (abdomen).
In many cases, neuroblastoma first develops in the adrenal glands (the two small glands above the kidneys) and can spread to other areas such as the bones, liver and skin.
Neuroblastoma affects around 100 children each year in the UK. It usually affects children under the age of five, and can even occur before a child is born.
The cause is unknown. There are very rare cases where children in the same family are affected, but it does not generally run in families.
The symptoms depend on where the cancer is and whether it has spread.
It's often hard to diagnose neuroblastoma in the early stages, as initial symptoms are common ones – for example, aches and pains, loss of energy and loss of appetite.
A relatively late sign is a lump or swelling in the abdomen, as this is where the cancer commonly starts. This is easy to miss in a young child. This lump can cause constipation and difficulty passing urine, as well as general pain and discomfort.
Other signs can include:
A number of tests may be carried out if it's thought your child may have neuroblastoma.
These tests may include:
If the lump is in one place and safe to remove with surgery, however, then a preliminary biopsy is not necessary.
Once these tests have been completed, it will usually be possible to confirm a diagnosis of neuroblastoma and what "stage" it is at (see below).
As with most cancers, neuroblastoma is defined by stages that reflect the condition's spread. There are many staging systems, but the most widely used until recently is shown first, with the more recently agreed stages in brackets:
The outlook for neuroblastoma is generally better if the child is younger and the cancer is confined to one site.