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Health insurance glossary
A
Acute Medical Condition/Acute
A disease, illness or injury which responds to short term treatment that aims to return you to the state of health you were in immediately before suffering the disease, illness or injury, or which leads to your full recovery. 
C
Cancer
A malignant tumour, tissues or cells, characterised by the uncontrolled growth and spread of malignant cells and the invasion of tissue; and for the purpose of claiming under the Heart & Cancer option any brain tumour requiring surgery or chemo or radiotherapy. 
Chronic Medical Condition (long-term)/Chronic
A disease, illness or injury that 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
Critical Care
Treatment given in either a resuscitation room, intensive care or high dependency unit, including coronary care units, which requires the specialist care, supervision and support by intensive care specialists. 
D
Day-Patient Treatment
A patient who is admitted to a hospital or day-patient unit because they need a period of medically supervised recovery but does not occupy a bed overnight. 
Dependant
Please note that there is no guarantee that any e-mail sent will be received by us, or that the contents of any such e-mail will remain private during internet transmission. If you have any such concerns, you may prefer to telephone or write to us instead. 
Diagnostic Tests
Investigations, such as X-rays, blood tests and ECG to find or to help to find the cause of your symptoms. 
E
Emergency Treatment
Treatment received in an NHS or private casualty or Accident and Emergency Unit, to care for an immediate life threatening condition or to repair or assess a medical condition or symptoms. 
G
General Practitioner (GP)
A medical practitioner holding a Certificate of General Practice Training and registered with the General Medical Council in the United Kingdom. 
I
In-Patient Treatment
A patient who is admitted to hospital and who occupies a bed overnight or longer for medical reasons. 
M
Medical Necessity
Diagnostic investigations and treatment including surgery that is required to cure, correct and stabilise an acute medical condition. 
Member
The policyholder with whom we have made the membership and who is responsible for paying the premiums for a CS Healthcare policy. 
N
Necessary Aftercare
The period directly after you have been discharged, you will be covered for a 90 day period of necessary aftercare, this will normally cover up to a maximum of 3 post-operative or follow-up consultations, a period of physiotherapy, 6 sessions in the first instance, where related directly to your surgery or medical admission to check your progress or treat any complications. Wound care and dressings and small procedures will also be covered where they are a direct consequence of your surgery or medical admission. Where a diagnostic procedure like an endoscopy or biopsy has been performed ongoing diagnostic consultation and tests will not be covered. Where you have chosen the Heart & Cancer option the period of necessary aftercare will continue subject to pre-authorisation for 1 year for cardiac conditions and for 5 years for cancer conditions. 
Nurse
A qualified nurse who is on the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and holds a valid NMC identification number. 
O
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. 
Overseas
A country outside of the United Kingdom. 
P
Planned Treatment
Admission to hospital by means of a waiting list or direct Consultant referral and not from the hospital Accident and Emergency unit or following a request for immediate admission on the advice of a GP. 
Policy
The insurance contract between you and us, including the following documents which are sent to you from time to time: 
  • Any application form the Society asked you to complete
  • Policy Document and Benefit Schedules
  • Registration Certificate and letter of acceptance
  • Directory of Hospitals
  • Memorandum of Association & Rules
  • Contribution rates
  • Any other document setting out information affecting the rights and obligations of the Society and you concerning membership.
Pre-Authorisation
Approval given either verbally or in writing by the Society prior to any treatment taking place, as a guarantee that we will meet your treatment costs as part of an eligible claim – providing you are still paying premiums for the appropriate your choice option at the time of treatment. 
Pre-Existing Conditions
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 5 years before the start date of cover.
Prosthesis
A surgical appliance, such as a joint replacement and bone fixation, heart valve, pacemaker, stents, grafts and meshes, which are implanted by a Consultant specialist during a surgical procedure. 
R
Related Condition
Any symptom or condition, disease, illness or injury which is medically considered to be associated with another symptom or condition, disease, illness or injury will be considered as one claim. 
Routine Monitoring
Regular consultations, check-ups, examinations or tests to assess your ongoing state of health. 
S
Specialist/Consultant
A registered medical or dental practitioner who holds or has held a substantive NHS Consultant's post, or has a certificate of Higher Specialists Training in the relevant speciality issued by the appropriate Royal College or General Medical Council in accordance with the EU medical directives. 
Specialised Scans
High cost scans such as: 
  • MRI & CT Scans
  • PET Scans
  • Myelogram
  • Thallium Scans
  • DAT & MIBG Scans
  • Perfusion/Ventilation Scans
    •
    Stable
    A patient is able to be nursed in a general ward setting and does not require critical care including resuscitation, intensive care, high dependency or coronary care, life support or immediate life saving surgery. 
    Surgical Procedure
    An operation including open incision and/or laparoscopic procedures, used to correct an injury, disease or degenerative change; and also including endoscopic procedures performed as a day case procedure required to aid a diagnosis or to give therapeutic relief of symptoms. 
    T
    Treatment
    Surgical or medical services (including diagnostic tests) that are needed to diagnose, relieve or cure a disease, illness or injury. 
    U
    United Kingdom
    England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. 
    "When making a claim, CS Healthcare provided us with outstanding support at a very difficult time. We certainly feel that our decision to choose you was an extremely wise one."
    Mrs M James
    Civil Service Healthcare Society Limited incorporated in England and Wales.
    Registered Office: Princess House, Horace Rd, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. KT1 2SL.
    FSA reg. no. 205346.