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Episode details

Radio 4,06 Aug 2012,41 mins

Can patients with private medical insurance still choose their doctor?

You and Yours

Available for over a year

BUPA, Britain's biggest supplier of private medical insurance, is changing the way it reimburses private doctors for carrying out operations. If a patient chooses to go to a doctor who isn't on BUPA's approved list, they may have to pay a shortfall. We hear from a listener who had to pay extra for surgery he thought was covered by his policy and ask BUPA why they are making changes. The US lingerie giant Victoria's Secret is opening its flagship UK store on London's up-market Bond Street. Despite the recession, the market for women's lingerie is buoyant. Is there a gap in the UK market for posh pants without a high price tag? There are "X-Factor Style" contests for engineers, scientists and computer coders and competitions to solve problems including climate change and the financial crisis. Are competitions the best way to encourage innovation and nurture talent? We hear from a disabled mother who was blocked from using Lufthansa's family service. We ask just how helpful airport services are for parents with disabilities?

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