I find it hard to comment on whether one scheme is better than the other (I am a member of one and it just seems easier not to switch).
What I found surprising in the discussion though is that nobody seems to think of the possibility of a member trying to con the scheme by claiming to be sick (or at least a lot more sick than he/she really is as the payout is more attractive than to keep working??). In that case I would want my scheme administrators to be as difficult as possible.
Is it really always the 'big bad company screwing the individual'. I don't really like to think of any of my colleagues ever claiming insurance money in bad faith, but I don't want to be naive either.