Middlesea Insurance plc has signed an Agreement with Arzt Partner Almeda AG in Germany for the provision of Second Medical Opinion Services to eligible persons insured under Middlesea Insurance health insurance schemes. ArztPartner is fully owned by DKV AG and is a full-service disease and case management provider based in Munich, Germany. DKV, is the largest private Health Insurance Company in Europe, and has a history of more than 70 years in engaging in private health insurance. With offices in 9 countries ArztPartner manages customers with over 23 million insured members.

By means of this Agreement insured persons under certain Middlesea Insurance health schemes are able to obtain a second medical opinion from an international panel of medical experts. ‘This is a service which provides our health insurance customers with added value’ commented Simon Anastasi Chief Officer responsible for Health Insurance at Middlesea Insurance. ‘We are sensitive to a patient’s immediate needs in difficult times. Many times patients resort to getting further opinions in a time of crisis and such opinions may come at a very high cost.  During such moments time is crucial, and if a second opinion is required it will be needed within the least time possible.’

This service shall be available to eligible existing and future holders of Middlesea Insurance health insurance policies. It is applicable to a number of named eligible medical conditions such as cancer including leukaemia and malignant tumours, benign brain tumours, coronary heart disease, major organ transplant, stroke, paralysis from injury, complications of diabetes mellitus, asthma / COPD, complications of hypertension, severe burns, slipped vertebral disk, major trauma and other serious medical conditions.

The service shall be based on an analysis of an eligible individual’s medical condition by a VIPmed expert whose skills are appropriate for the particular case. The VIPmed Expert Network consists of acknowledged international specialists in many different medical fields and are qualified to deliver the second medical opinion to the best advantage of the patient. Within the VIPmed network only experts who are highly regarded in their medical field and have a strong international reputation are selected. Mr Anastasi continued to explain that as a result of Malta’s high level of expertise it is a possibility in the future to include a number of local medical specialists in the VIPmed international panel of medical experts.

‘This service is intended to be complimentary to the medical opinion and treatment provided by the patient’s medical specialist’ continued Mr Anastasi, ‘The level and expertise in Malta is considered to be one of the highest in Europe. Obtaining a second opinion is a standard and acceptable process in most of Europe and is also very popular in the United States. The international panel of medical experts’ report will provide further peace of mind. It is always recommended that the report is discussed with the patient’s doctor in order to agree on a way forward’.

A person suffering from one of the eligible conditions is required to submit complete medical information including imaging studies (for example X-ray, MRI, CT), Laboratory reports, Pathology slides/blocks and other supporting data. Once all the information is received the appointed expert provides the required opinion on the particular medical condition through a written report. The report could also include extended reference to the latest scientific papers on the topic, if required.

‘We shall continue to be innovative in the dynamic and expanding field of medical insurance’ concluded Mr Anastasi. ‘We recently launched a new range of health insurance products after listening to our customers through a number of customer focus groups, we believe that this new service is an innovative facility to our health insurance patients in Malta which will reinforce our local and international dimension in this area’

Middlesea Insurance plc is authorized by the Malta Financial services Authority to carry on Long Term and General Business inder the Insurance Business Act 1998. COM 310708E