Was with Quinn Health Mgr up to 2010. Recommend a health insurance plan.

[Luternau]

I am considering resuming health insurance.

Was with Quinn, on health manager, but stopped it in 2010 as it was getting expensive for what I was availing of.

The Market seems to have changed so much since then in terms of products/choice and I am a bit older and maybe more in need of medical treatments!

I am probably leaning more to an outpatient plan with perhaps some in patient if required. There is a family history of bowel cancer, so I need routine colon exam cover ( diagnostic/ scheduled), perhaps as a private patient (to avoid long waits)

Otherwise, the norm gp, physio, health screening etc.

Am I right in saying there were some new budget plans introduced by aviva but these don't seem to be on the comparison site yet?

 

[snowyb]

Hi Luternau,

Just a couple of things to highlight in your situation before choosing a plan.

As you have given up health insurance for the past 2-3 years, you will be classed as a new customer.
This means you will have to serve new customer waiting times again, for inpatient cover and outpatient cover, according to your age bracket.
Once you lapse health insurance for more than 13 weeks, new customer waiting times apply.

Details of inpatient waiting times as follows;
www.hia.ie/consumer-information/waiting-periods/new-customer-waiting-periods/

Outpatient waiting times are also on the above link.

The new range of FOCUS plans with Aviva are available to compare as follows;
www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/aviva-release-8-new-plans-28.06.2013/

They can also be checked out here;
www.avivahealth.ie/focus-plans/

Note; these plans have a selected list of public, private and hi-tech hospitals
which can be checked out on the above links. Its important to see if the hospitals you would require are covered in your area, before choosing one of these plans.
Also, for orthopaedic surgery(hip or knee replacment) in private hospitals, there is a €2,000 co payment.
Some of these plans don't have good outpatient cover, which is something you're particularly interested in.


As an alternative option, Laya Healthcare have a couple of new plans coming out on 1 August and 9 August 2013, worth checking out.

1. Simply Health Connect; price 960(987); full hospital cover, good outpatient cover with no waiting times for outpatient cover regardless of age.

www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/...nnect-and-health-sense-connect-on-01.08.2013/

2. Connectcare plan; price 990(1017); full hospital cover, good outpatient cover with no waiting times for outpatient cover regardless of age.

www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/laya-will-release-a-new-plan-connectcare-on-09.08.2013/

Laya healthcare have no co payments for orthopaedic surgery and no age-related waiting times for outpatient cover which may be an advantage in your case.

Regards, Snowyb

 

[vigilante]

HIA are definitely your best bet, but GloHealth are relatively new so they're probably worth checking out. You'll probably see them on the HIA website anyway

 

[Luternau]

Thanks for the detailed reply Snowyb.

I will check out those offers and more. Perhaps I can benefit from reduced waiting times or they will waive it for the new business. This happened me before on returning to Ireland from working abroad for a few years ago-as part of a promotion or whatever, Quinn waived the 13wks period. Fingers crossed.

The whole thing is a minefield of options and restrictions and as one cannot have a crystal ball, its hard to predict what may be required in the future etc.
This is why, I am aiming to enter the market at just the outpatient/daycare level rather than the full benefits packages.