MySaga Menu GLOSSARY OF TERMS Check our prices Retrieve a quote Contact us Health Insurance New to health insurance Switching to Saga Saga HealthPlans Tailor your cover Existing customers Conditions covered Health insurance glossary of terms There are a few key words and phrases that you might not be familiar with. Our health insurance glossary of terms is designed to explain the most commonly used words and phrases to make things as clear as possible. Acupuncturist A medical practitioner who specialises in acupuncture and is registered under the relevant Act, or a practitioner of acupuncture who is a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC), and who, in all cases, meets our criteria for acupuncturist recognition for benefit purposes in their field of practice, and who we have told in writing that we currently recognise as an acupuncturist for benefit purposes in that field for the provision of out-patient treatment only. A full explanation of the criteria we use to decide these matters is available on request. Chronic condition A disease, illness or injury which has one or more of the following characteristics: It needs ongoing or long-term monitoring, through consultations, examinations, check-ups and /or tests It needs ongoing or long-term control or relief of symptoms It requires your rehabilitation or for you to be specially trained to cope with it It continues indefinitely It has no known cure It comes back or is likely to come back. Day-patient A patient who is admitted to hospital or day-patient unit because they need a period of medically supervised recovery but does not occupy a bed overnight. Excess The amount of money you pay towards your claim before any benefit becomes available. Excesses are payable only once per person, per policy year, regardless of the number of claims made. Learn about your excess options with Saga. Homeopath A medical practitioner who specialises in homeopathy and is registered under the relevant Act, or a practitioner of homeopathy who holds full membership of the Faculty of Homeopathy, and who, in all cases, meets our criteria for homeopath recognition for benefit purposes in their field of practice, and who we have told in writing that we currently recognise as a homeopath for benefit purposes in that field for the provision of out-patient treatment only. A full explanation of the criteria we use to decide these matters is available on request. In-patient A patient who is admitted to hospital and who occupies a bed overnight, or longer, for medical reasons. No Claim Discount The discount awarded annually to a policyholder depending on their claims experience during the previous policy year. No Claim Discount Protection This enables you to make one claim without adversely affecting your No Claim Discount. Available to a policyholder on our moratorium or full medical history underwriting terms, for an additional premium. Find out more. Open referral Where your GP states that treatment is necessary and which type of specialist you require that treatment from, but does not specify the specialist’s name. Out-patient A patient who attends a hospital consulting room or out-patient clinic and is not admitted as a day-patient or an in-patient. Physiotherapist A medical practitioner who practises physiotherapy and who meets our recognition criteria for benefit purposes in their field of practice, and who we have told in writing that we currently recognise as a physiotherapist for benefit purposes. When such persons provide such services to you as part of your in-patient or day-patient treatment, those services will form part of the private hospital charges. Practitioner A practising member of certain professions allied to medicine who, in all cases, meets our recognition criteria for benefit purposes in their field of practice and who we have told in writing that we currently recognise as a practitioner for benefit purposes. When such persons provide such services to you as part of your in-patient or day-patient treatment those services will form part of the private hospital charges. The professions concerned are dieticians, nurses, orthoptists, speech therapists, audiologists, psychologists and psychotherapists. Pre-existing condition Any disease, illness or injury for which: you have received medication, advice or treatment; or you have experienced symptoms; whether the condition has been diagnosed or not in the three years (or five years if you joined this policy on or before 15 November 2005) before the start of your cover. Specialist A medical practitioner with particular training in an area of medicine (such as consultant surgeons, consultant anaesthetists and consultant physicians) with full registration under the Medical Acts, who meets our criteria for specialist recognition and benefit purposes, and who we have told in writing that we currently recognise as a specialist or benefit purposes in their field of practice. Specified condition The medical conditions that are associated with the pre-existing conditions: diabetes; or if you have had treatment for raised blood pressure (hypertension); or if you have been under investigation, had treatment or undergone monitoring as a result of a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test. Therapist A medical practitioner with full registration under the Medical Acts, who is a practitioner in osteopathy or chiropractic, is registered under the relevant Act and who, in all cases, meets our criteria for therapist recognition for benefit purposes in their field of practice, and who we have told in writing that we currently recognise as a therapist for benefit purposes in that field or for the provision of out-patient treatment only. Treatment Surgical or medical services (including diagnostic tests) that are needed to diagnose, relieve or cure a disease, illness or injury. Underwriting methods When you take out a Saga HealthPlan, you can choose from three different underwriting methods. Read more about underwriting methods. For a full glossary of terms, please refer to your Policy Book. 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