BUPA Physiotherapy Tender Process

[rangimarie]

rangimari are your prices within the benchmark fees?

No, they are higher, by more than 25%.

[Chartered Physiotherapist]

Well, Bupa appears to have divided us. Those that successfully tendered, those that failed with their tender and those that didn't tender. Each group will now have their own cause for concern about the future.

Surely now AXAPPP will start to check the new Bupa Network Provider List to ensure parity. How could you justify charging different rates for BUPA and AXAPP patients? This is the tip of the iceberg in my opinion.

[physio4u]

I just wonder if there is any attempt by the insurance companies to set prices won't that amount to price fixing which I thought was illegal. Surely the rules about competition apply equally to the insurers as they do to us??

pt4u

[physiowestlondon]

Just got my contract back from Bupa, signed, and at prices slightly above their 'benchmarked' prices. It's been a bit of a roller coater ride, but I'm happy with the outcome. I didn't even have to drop my standard price - so all good!

[Mr Manipulator]

'Good' on the price side but let's not forget the terms and conditions to which all who tendered had to agree and which, despite what BUPA say, have serious implications for our professional autonomy in the future.

[hockeyphys]

It would be very interesting to know how many of us who tendered at our normal fees recieved letters that they will be reviewing us seperatly
I think it will be most, in which case we are in a very strong position as we are a very large group and BUPA needs us - they cannot go to another group or outsource us to India (as would happen with tenders in other areas of industry) as they are commited to providing a service to thier members.
If we stick to our guns, and maintain our personal fee levels as a group, I believe we are stronger than them.
Can this site set up a poll to see who recieved what letter? (Physio voice seems to have gone very silent on this one unless I'm missing something)
I still don't see where what BUPA are asking for is any different from any other tenders I have completed (NHS, 'middlemen' insurance companies, coporate company contracts) - all of those ask for reports, direct billing,stats and restrict treatment numbers. All will allow you to increase your treatment sessions when you justify it. Every time I have tendered I have done so at a rate that I feel we are worth - some I've lost as a consequence, but have never backed down and won't do so this time.
I actually feel there are 5 groups! - those that tendered below thier fees, (who will now have to work twice as hard to achieve thier previous income) those that tendered at thier normal fees and are awaiting the next stage with interest, those that chose not to tender and are comfortable with it, those who chose not to tender and arn't, and those that negotiated seperatly with BUPA outside the process.
We must remember we are still a strong body with a lot of clout.

[londonphysio]

Hockeyphys physiofirst have started just such a survey. I had an alert Friday evening. Closes tues pm so will have rsults Wednesday I guess

[Frankie]

Just thought I'd let people know. I did tender but at my usual fees (£10 above the benchmark for assessment and follow-up for my area) and have been accepted. Wasn't expecting that!

[londonphysio]

Congrats to those who succeeded. However, it might be that bupa had to agree to higher fees in certain areas in order to get the network? I dont know, but seems likely. I think those who got the 'maybe' email probably had someone else in their area tender below them. Just a thought.

[hockeyphys]

I am now very confused!
After not being at work on Friday, I get in to work today and find 2 BUPA leters plus the e mail I picked up over the weekend!
Letter1 (to me personally) - As you did not tender , you have not been succesful - etc etc
Letter 2 (to me as clinic rep) Pleased to say you have been successful. Attached is a signed contract etc etc
E mail (to me at the clinic) - we will be approaching you for further discussions!
???? - has this happened to anyone else? - shudder to think how BUPA call centres will field patient enquiries and what is on thier database - guess I now have to take more time out composing letters for clarifiaction!
Can anyone post up the link to the physiofirst poll on BUPA's responses so I can access it? (Seem to have let my physiofirst sub lapse in the midst of all this!)

[edgertonman]

Yes we recieved an acceptance letter on Fri followed by personal ones today as we had not tendered individually .An e-mail to BUPA told us that as a clinic we did not need to tender individually if all the physios were happy to have the clinic send inthe accounts.
I would be curious to know how many duplicate entries there are in the total number of physios listed on the Bupa data base.

[londonphysio]

I have had a response from BUPA this morning re the 'maybe' email.
Apparently for those who tendered and got this email, a decision will be made within 2 weeks and they will let me know the outcome.
I have emailed them back to find out if there will be a negotiation, or whether it will be a flat yes or no.

[londonphysio]

has anyone who tendered heard a definite 'no' yet?
I am still waiting.....

[Mr Manipulator]

Actually, londonphysio, it's not clear what is happening at present.

According to BUPA, there have been the 3000 accepted (some, apparently, at above the 'benchmark' prices). The other claimed 400 are yet to be advised but, apparently, some who did not tender have been contacted saying that BUPA wish to reserve the right to be in touch to establish their position as, they say, some pratices 'bring quality' to their service and they would like to 'establish their position' but, in the meantime, they (BUPA) would ask them to continue accepting their patients.

Does this not have the smell of a U-turn or at least a demonstration of failure of the tender process in its initial format?

At present, it all seems to have gone a bit quiet with no particular direction being apparent - a bit like the current political situation with a paralysed Government imploding on itself!!

Watch and wait! I'm sure BUPA are 'delighted' at having been able to accept 50% - just 50% - of the initial target, ......not!

[physiobob]

No updates from this end. I suspect they are being quiet on purpose to see if everything dies down a bit so they can begin chipping away again. I did however get a response from my local member to my letter who said he would be taking up the issue higher up the Gov't chain. So it is not to late to ask everyone to continue to send in letters of complaint to their local members to keep the issue fresh from our end. BUPA will be hoping our initial campaign fades along with the energy spent in making it all happen. We should be mindful to keep a continuous campaign going until we have a result.

[archersusie]

Any more news on the BUPA tender, has anyone been de-registered? Are the real winners those who did nothing and the losers those who tendered at benchmark?

[physiobob]

Well as we have heard some people have now begun receiving letters saying they are no longer covered by BUPA.And to add to that their clients have received letters saying they are no longer covered by those individuals. More so that the reason for this is that they ensure they are only covered/treated by senior physios.

Now that's interesting. Perhaps the initial cull is on the more recent graduates already on their books. I've been on their books for 12rys or more since in the UK. I did not tender and so far no letter.

I was thinking about perhaps paying to have some website banner made for anyone who wanted to use one saying something like

"In the interest of an open market this clinic does not recognise BUPA health insurance. We support the physio access for all initiative."

Of course wording that is approved by legal. But something that shifts it back and acknowledges that it should and is We who do not accept them as we did not tender to their conditions and therefore could not be considered.

Any thoughts. I think that if this type of position took hold BUPA would hate the bad press.