Irish Life BeneFit should I renew?

H

Hooverfish

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Used to be on the Apple corporate Irish Life plan. Changed to Benefit at €899 each for self (58) and partner (67) last Feb. Found out yesterday they are automatically renewing us for €930 each for 2020 unless we tell them not to tomorrow.

Very unclear is it a good deal or a sneaky price hike as it’s a month in advance? Was unhappy my DXA scan not covered in 2019 but it was only €100. Bit worried about the €2000 orthopaedic copayment.

Appreciate any advice!
 
hooverfish,

I would recommend looking at Laya plans to ease your concerns about orthopaedic cover and dexa scan cover.
Details as follows;
1. Laya Essential Health 300; price 996pa; all public and private hospitals covered, private excess capped at 300 x 2 per year for all private hospital
admissions, day case excess 125 per procedure. Full orthopaedic cover in all private hospitals. Dexa scans fully covered only in Euromedic/Affidea
Scan Centre Cork.

2. Laya Simply Connect; price 1230pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech Dublin hospitals covered, private excess capped at 150 x 2 per year for all
private hospital admissions, day case excess 50 per procedure. Good day to day cover included, 50% refund for consultant, gp, dental, physio etc
upto a max of 500 per year. Dexa scans fully covered only in Euromedic/Affidea Cork, paid directly by Laya, no payment required by the patient.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...Mb2NrIjpmYWxzZSwicGxhbl9kZXRhaWxfaWQiOi0xfX1d

If a health insurance plan does not suit your medical needs and requirements, its time to review your cover. Most of Irish Life plans have a 2000
co payment for ortho surgery in a private hospital, so there is no real alternative option with that provider
unless you pay thousands for a plan which is not necessary.
VHI are the same, they cover 80% of the cost of surgery in a private hospital so the 20% shortfall could cost 2 or 3 thousand per surgery.
Laya are the only provider that fully cover orthopaedic surgery at a reasonable cost, in any private hospital.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Snowyb thanks for a clear and prompty reply! You are wonderful.

If we changed to Laya, would the better orthopaedic cover be subject to the 2 year upgrade cover delay? We don't have any urgent needs at present I'm just trying to figure out the cost/benefit. So, if a change of plan results in improved cover, all insurers are entitled to restrict your benefits to that payable on your existing plan for the next 2 years for any existing medical conditions - might that mean the orthopaedic cover without copayment only kicks in after 2 years?

Thanks again
 
No, a 2 year wait would only apply if you had symptoms or signs for the past 6 months before switching. Waiting only applies to pre-existing
illnesses and only in respect of any extra cover on the new plan. If you have no pre-existing illnesses or conditions, well then no waiting applies.
If you do have any pre-existing illnesses, they will be covered as per your current plan as before. After the 2 year wait, pre-existing illnesses will
be covered, including any extra cover on the plan.

Note; scan cover and day to day medical expenses are allowable straight away, there is no waiting attached, regardless of your age, with Laya.

Snowyb
 
Thanks again Snowyb. Irish Life told me there is a cooling off period on the renewal that they have automatically made and I think we probably will change.
 
Yes, you have 14 days following renewal date to make up your mind, to reconsider your options to stay or switch.
 
There are other aspects apart from the money and cover... I just had to ring Laya (they switch off chat on their website when busy, and don't show a contact email). Ghastly in the extreme, and it put me off them big-time. I think this is what happened last year as well - the cost/cover wasn't actually that different but getting the correct information about procedures, and being able to make and have queries answered was (marginally) "less bad" at Irish Life.
 
Just updating this thread because, surprise surprise, Laya also now charge 20% shortfall on certain (unspecified) orthopaedic procedures for the Signify plan. This year the choice seems to be between continuing on with Irish Life BeneFit €1037 each but €2000 copayment for certain orthopaedic procedures, or going with Laya Precision 150 Connect €977 which has no excess on 5 orthopaedic procedures (hip and knee replacement) in 12 private hospitals but now I have to try to find out which ones...! No urgent need for orthopaedic cover, but surely this is one of the main reasons we buy health insurance...? Checking out customer service reviews to see if Laya have improved there at all, but call centre cultures tend to be pretty resistant to change (Eir anyone?).
 
This seems to be on every laya plan
Also irish life and vhi now and was just brought in this year.

It's either 20% or 2000€ Copayment.
And it seems to be for every orthopaedic procedure.

It was sneakily brought in and it seems to with each company.

The no excess is for very limited procedures - older hardware used in these procedures - and probably still has these new costs also added.

There is no clarification on what procedures actually have full cover.


Hooverfish said:
Just updating this thread because, surprise surprise, Laya also now charge 20% shortfall on certain (unspecified) orthopaedic procedures for the Signify plan. This year the choice seems to be between continuing on with Irish Life BeneFit €1037 each but €2000 copayment for certain orthopaedic procedures, or going with Laya Precision 150 Connect €977 which has no excess on 5 orthopaedic procedures (hip and knee replacement) in 12 private hospitals but now I have to try to find out which ones...! No urgent need for orthopaedic cover, but surely this is one of the main reasons we buy health insurance...? Checking out customer service reviews to see if Laya have improved there at all, but call centre cultures tend to be pretty resistant to change (Eir anyone?).
Click to expand...
 
Just dragging this thread up to emphasise the importance of checking cover and how complex and messy the health insurance system is continuing to become - USA style. My GP referred me to the Bons in Cork. Yesterday I had to cough €300 for an X-ray and ortho consult which will not be covered. I don't mind that too much, because I got a lot out of the consult, and I was previously covered there, and had a procedure, so all the relevant records were there and I have clarity that there are only two options - a treatment I am trying, and failing that surgery.

But why oh why has Laya no cover with such a major provider. And I will actually have to go to another consultant/hospital if I need the op, however I do now know that (at the moment) the procedure number at that the other consultant/hospital is covered by Laya without a copayment.

Never assume you are covered. Go online and check the specific consultant and hospital and procedure number... and also whether x-rays and scans needed related to the procedure are also covered at that hospital.
 
Curlyfella said:
This seems to be on every laya plan
Also irish life and vhi now and was just brought in this year.

It's either 20% or 2000€ Copayment.
And it seems to be for every orthopaedic procedure.

It was sneakily brought in and it seems to with each company.

The no excess is for very limited procedures - older hardware used in these procedures - and probably still has these new costs also added.

There is no clarification on what procedures actually have full cover.
Click to expand...
this has been the case with Irish Life for quite a few years
 
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