# VHI health plus access €1,524.25, renewal 1st July ? Other plans for approx €1,000?



## laois1 (11 Jun 2013)

My health insurance plan with VHI is up for renewal. The fee is €1,524.25 this year renewal date 1st July.  Obviously I would like to save a few bob if possible. To avoid waiting periods and for less hassle etc 

I would prefer to stay with VHI but I see Laya might be the cheapest option? 

Are there any plans that provide a similar level of cover with VHI/Other for approx €1,000 euro ? 

I have been on the HIA website but find it all a bit overwhelming. I think it's been designed to be confusing.

 I don't mind paying a small excess once I know the amount. Not interested in Blackrock or the Beacon and a semi private room is fine etc.


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## snowyb (15 Jun 2013)

Hi laois1,

There are a number of alternative options to Health Plus Access with all providers.

If you choose a plan with similar hospital cover to Health Plus Access, there will be no hospital waiting times for pre-existing conditions
as you would be switching from like to like.  Waiting times only apply if you upgrade cover - even then, waiting only applies for any extra
cover only, in respect of pre-existing conditions only.  A person would still be covered for these conditions under their present plan while 
waiting.

Depending on your age,  ie. if you are over 65 yrs, Laya Healthcare is probably the best company in terms of no waiting times
for outpatient cover (vhi impose 2 year waiting time for over 65yrs).   If you are under 50yrs there is no waiting time for outpatient cover
with any provider.

 Also, Laya have no restrictions for orthopaedic surgery - the other companies impose a 2000 co payment for this type of surgery in
 a private or hi-tech hospital.

Here are a few suggestions with Laya healthcare; price in brackets includes 3% charge if paying by instalments.

1.  Healthwise Plus No Excess;   adult price 1003pa(1033pa); - same hospital cover as before(no hosp excess), same outpatient cover.
2.  Simply Health Excess;  adult price 1019pa(1049pa)  -  same hospital cover with 125 excess, better outpatient cover 50% refund,gp visits etc.
3. Company Care Plus; adult price 1201pa(1237pa) - same hospital cover,(no hosp excess), extra outpatient cover,75% refund consultants,gp etc.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?67&277&279&198/


 NOTE;
The following suggestions with Aviva and Glohealth have an extra cost of 2000 for orthopaedic surgery in a private or hi-tech hospital, 
it doesn't apply to any public hospitals.  VHI have an 80% restriction for orthopaedic surgery which means the patient pays 20% of the cost
of the operation in a private or hi-tech hospital.

Outpatient Waiting times for VHI, Aviva and Glohealth.  No waiting time applies to Laya at any age.
If you are over 50 yrs of age, there would be a waiting time imposed for outpatient cover for all plans below as follows;
age 51 to 54 = 6 months waiting - applies to vhi only!
age 55 to 64 = 1 year waiting;   applies to aviva, glohealth and vhi.
over 65 yrs = 2 yrs waiting; applies to aviva, glohealth and vhi.


Aviva Health

1. Health Plan 05;  adult price  946pa - similar hospital cover with 75 excess, good outpatient cover (50 excess).
2. Health Plan 06;  adult price  980pa - similar hospital cover with 75 excess, good outpatient cover(1euro excess).
3. Level 2 health excess; adult price; 904pa - similar hospital cover 125 excess, no or very limited outpatient cover.( 200 excess).

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?67&307&309&249/

VHI Healthcare

1. Plan PMI 10 11;  adult price 945pa - similar hospital cover 125 excess, some outpatient cover (30 excess).
2. Plan PMI 14 11; adult price 1050pa - same hospital cover 75 excess, good outpatient cover (1 euro excess).
3. Plan PMI 30 12;  adult price 1104pa - same hospital cover, no hospital excess, no or limited outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?67&252&257&314/

Glohealth

1. Better Plan;  adult price;  915pa - similar hospital cover 100 excess, limited outpatient cover(150  excess).
2. Best Plan;  adult price;  1110pa - similar hospital cover,no excess, limited outpatient cover(150 excess).

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?67&298&335/

Plenty of savings to be made.  Hope this throws some light on your decision.

Regards, Snowyb


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## laois1 (20 Jun 2013)

Thank you so much Snowy B. I had planned to have an elective laparoscopic surgery this month before my current VHI plan finished. It has now been cancelled for a while as the surgeon is unavailable and there have been issued getting a bed (so much for being a VHI patient !). This means that the surgery will be under a new plan. I was only diagnosed with this condition in April. Will laya cover if I switch in July to their 1003 euro (similiar plan to VHI). It should be a day procedure (unless there are complications) but obviously I want it to be covered ?


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## laois1 (21 Jun 2013)

Firstly I assume from your response above that I will be ok with my upcoming surgery when I change to Laya
Second could I ask your opinion on the following scenario of a couple and son she 78, he 80. They are lifelong VHI members. She recently has a mild irregularity of heart beat but not in hospital yet. He has Alzheimer's. THeir  son has eye issues and possible surgery coming up this year. Fee for renewal is approx 1700 per person. They are reluctant to change VHI with misperceptions about discontinuing cover, loyalty, habit etch. They are on a health plus extra policy. From what you mentioned earlier I see there is very little between this and health plus access so would the options you suggested earlier for me be also the best for them. 
Many thanks


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## snowyb (23 Jun 2013)

Hi Laois1,

You will be fine regarding your upcoming surgery when you switch from VHI to Laya in July 2013, as you are switching from like to like.

To put your mind at ease regarding this matter, you can always phone Laya Healthcare before switching and discuss it in detail to confirm 
everything.

Furthermore,  Laya Healthcare have a facility on their website for checking out what consultants and hospitals are covered with the company.
Just type in the consultants name or just surname and the relevant details pop up.  Then click on the name of the consultant you require and 
a list of the hospitals will show up on screen where they operate.   Just a handy way of confirming consultants and hospitals covered with 
Laya.   Their lists are extensive and similar to the other providers vhi etc.

Relevant links as follows;
www.layahealthcare.ie/formembers/consultantnearyou/#top

www.layahealthcare.ie/formembers/hospitalnearyou/

The above links are a very handy tool for finding out info regarding consultants ie.( what public and private hospitals they work in) or for 
finding out what hospitals are in a particular county or city.




Regarding your second query, for a couple and their son on Healthplus Extra(1837pa each), -  the Laya options 1 and 3( with NO hospital excess)
would be best suited to all three of them.   
Company Care Plus is the best plan for both hospital cover and outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?68&198&277/

 If a person has a few consultant visits,gp and other medical expenses to claim back, this plan offers a refund of 75% of costs. 
 It has a 1 euro excess for outpatient expenses,  which means you are in a refund position even with just a few expenses.

Some plans, for example, like Healthplus Extra(B Options) have a 250 euro excess for outpatient cover,  this means a person's allowable
expenses have to be higher than 250 per year before they can claim a refund.

The plan 'Healthwise Plus No Excess' ( which you have chosen)  is a perfect choice for good hospital cover,  but is not great for outpatient 
cover.  It has an outpatient excess of 220 per year -  this means a persons consultant,gp visits etc have to exceed 220 before a refund applies.

Oupatient cover may not be a priority for you if you have a medical card etc so its fine in that regard.
If good outpatient cover is important,  Company Care Plus is a better plan to choose.

The plan 'Simply Health Excess'  also has good hospital and good outpatient cover(1 euro excess, 50% refund for consultant,gp etc)  but
it also has the hospital excess of 125euro if you stay in a private or hi-tech hospital, it doesn't apply to any public hospital.
For older people, it is usually recommended to go for a plan with no hospital excess, if you have a few health issues and if you attend private 
or hi-tech hospitals.  
If you attend public hospitals as a choice,  the hospital excess wouldn't apply so choosing a plan with a hospital excess such as 'Simply 
Health Excess would be ok in that situation.


Finally,  I appreciate the fact that people in general, especially older folk,  don't like change  -  stick with the devil you know etc.
There are quite substantial savings to be made, in the above scenario, for an identical hospital plan, with much better outpatient cover.

Healthplus Extra;              price 3 adults 1837 x 3 = 5511pa
Company Care Plus;         price 3 adults  1237 x 3 = 3711pa (includes 3% charge if paying by instalments)
Difference;  5511 - 3711 = 1800pa

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?68&198/

Their pre-existing conditions would be covered exactly like yours,  switching from like to like, so there would be no problems in that regard.
Again,  to ease fears and concerns around these issues, impending eye surgery etc they could talk it through in detail with Laya without 
commiting to anything before making any decisions.

As a final option,  they could stay with VHI and switch to Healthplus Access(Plan B) - practically no difference to Healthplus Extra.
Comparison as follows;
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?68&67/

Still good savings to be made.
A lot of food for thought, hope this explains things a bit clearer.

Regards, Snowyb


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