Health Insurance Is there a better option for my parents? (moving from VHI Teachers Plan Select to EnhancedCare Complete 75 Day-to-Day)

[declan29]

Hi All,

My parents (72 and 78) are currently on the VHI Teachers Plan Select. The VHI have written to them stating that the plan is being withdrawn and that they will move my parents onto EnhancedCare Complete 75 Day-to-Day. I'm just wondering if someone can help me to help them!

The new plan seems quite a bit more expensive, albeit it does come with enhanced access to hospitals like the Blackrock Clinic I think. My parents both have long-standing underlying conditions (cardiac and bowel mainly), but are mostly treated in the Galway Clinic, Bon Secours Tralee and Bon Secours Limerick (they live in Limerick). So they would definitely still need access to those hospitals. Ideally they would like to keep their insurance costs the same, including the excesses etc. I doubt they will agree to move away from the VHI (literally been with them since the very first day they got insurance) but if anyone can point me to better options I can try to sell them on it!

A huge thanks in advance for any help. I'm not thick, but I loose the will to live when trying to understand health insurance policies in Ireland! If there's a more complex marketplace anywhere else in the world (barring maybe America) I wouldn't like to see it!

Kind regards,

Declan.

 

[Riomhaire]

Hi Declan29,

EnhancedCare Complete 75 Day-to-Day will cost €1820 per person for the coming year. I think that is very expensive. Cover for a private room in a private hospital is driving this price. Although there seems to be an excess of €100 per night for this accommodation ( private room in a private hospital)

You could do a lot worse by giving PMI 53 10 at €1350 some consideration. It covers up to semi private room in private hospitals and the day to day benefits are broadly similar EnhancedCare Complete 75 Day-to-Day. It would seem that the facilities mentioned by you are all covered up to semi private level by PMI 53 10. Any excess with this plan is per claim.

The difference for your parents would be €940 for the coming year with PMI 53 10 and it is worth serious consideration.

I hope this is helpful

 

[declan29]

Hi Declan29,

EnhancedCare Complete 75 Day-to-Day will cost €1820 per person for the coming year. I think that is very expensive. Cover for a private room in a private hospital is driving this price. Although there seems to be an excess of €100 per night for this accommodation ( private room in a private hospital)

You could do a lot worse by giving PMI 53 10 at €1350 some consideration. It covers up to semi private room in private hospitals and the day to day benefits are broadly similar EnhancedCare Complete 75 Day-to-Day. It would seem that the facilities mentioned by you are all covered up to semi private level by PMI 53 10. Any excess with this plan is per claim.

The difference for your parents would be €940 for the coming year with PMI 53 10 and it is worth serious consideration.

I hope this is helpful

Thanks for that, it's very helpful.

 

[cremeegg]

I'm not thick, but I loose the will to live when trying to understand health insurance policies in Ireland!

They do it deliberately, it's called confusion marketing, mobile phone companies do it as well. In my opinion it should be illegal.

 

[Starrynights]

Hi,

Health insurance Ireland | Special Offers | Health Cover Ireland

Current Special Offers on Private Health Insurance July 14 – Summary VHI Healthcare ½ price on 61 plans for children and student dependents from 01.07.14: (This includes popul

www.totalhealthcover.ie

Total health cover gives a good indication of some of the best current corporate plans on offer. It seems like Teachers Plan Select was possibly an overpriced plan. PMI 53 10 was mentioned above and most VHI plans around this price range might be a good choice for you. Eg. PMI 07 10, Company plan plus level 1.3. Inspire by Laya might be a suitable choice too. These plans seems to provide better day to day cover than the teachers plan at a lower price.

Enhanced care 75 day to day seems like an upsell by VHI, probably trying to get more people onto their new plans. It seems very overpriced, with worse day to day cover for a much higher price than the other corporate plans. At that price it still only cover 80% on specialised orthopedic/opthalmic procedures.

A lot of these plans have only small differences between them. The HIA comparison website is a good way to compare plans broadly and make a short list. The devil will be in the detail as to which would suit your situation best so you need to compare to the table of benefits to find out. PMI 07 10 for example, only has an excess on the first inpatient hospital stay per year, in comparison to per inpatient stay/claim. So if for example you know they might need multiple hospital admissions throughout the year this could be much better value in the long run. Be sure to check the hospitals covered before you settle on a plan so those hospitals they use the most are definitely covered but I think they should be on a lot of these plans.

Health insurance details can be complex so if you have any questions on cover, exclusions, bits of the table of benefits etc just ask away. Best of luck finding a plan.