# 2A+3C VHI family plan plus Level 2 renewal September. Options.



## jc12 (29 Jul 2013)

Hi,

My family is on the VHI family plan plus Level 2 with is due for renewal at the start of September. 

I am thinking of different options for the adults and kids(Ages - 5,2,under 1). Adults need just good hospital cover (no day to day) while the kids need good hospital cover with day to day. 

Any advice would be appreciated


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## snowyb (29 Jul 2013)

Hello jc12,

With 2 young children under 3yrs, there are good offers on at the moment  with Glohealth which are open to you.
Children under 3 yrs go free on certain plans with just 1 adult.

Glohealth are a new company in the market, set up last year by a group of former executives and staff from Aviva Health and 
their offers are well worth considering, especially with very young children.   

Here are a number of suggestions to consider;

Option 1:

Glohealth;
Better Plan Excess Cash;    Adult Price;  999pa;  full hospital cover with(100 excess)  good day to day cover( with 50euro excess per person).
Children under 3yrs are free on this plan.

Children over 3yrs;  price per child;   272pa - full hospital cover(no excess applies to childrens hospitals) + good day to day(50 excess).

www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/glohealth-launch-new-plan-better-plan-excess-cash-01.08.2013/
This is a new plan with effect from 1 August 2013 so full details will be available on Hia.ie from that date.

OVERALL PRICE:
2 Adults x 999 = 1998
2 children free
1 child x 272   =   272
Total family price  2270pa

NOTE 1;   A hospital excess(100 euro) only applies to a private or hi tech hospital, it is a payment to be paid if yourself or your wife is 
admitted for surgery or treatment.  It does NOT apply to any public hospital for adult or children.

NOTE 2;   The day to day excess(50 per person) means that the first 2 doctors visits for each person would not be refunded.  
The cover you have at the moment means the first doctor visit for each person is not refunded.
The following 2 options give better day to day cover -  where all visits are refunded with 1euro excess.


Option 2;

Glohealth;
Better Plan;    Adult Price;  915pa;  -   full hospital cover with(100 excess) + very limited day to day cover(150 excess per person)
Children under 3 yrs of age are free with one adult on this plan.
Children over 3 yrs;  Good Plan;  price per child  195pa  - public hospital cover, all childrens hospitals are public only.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&298&297/

As 'Better Plan' has no day to day cover, they have a seperate day to day outpatient plan which is also free for children under 3 with one 
paying adult.  Details as follows;  
Daily Care Better Plan;  price per adult;  198pa  - good day to day cover with a 1euro excess, all visits are refundable.
Children under 3 yrs go free with one adult.
Children over 3 yrs;  price 99pa - good day to day cover with 1 euro excess, all visits are refundable.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?outpatient&304/

OVERALL PRICE;
2 Adults x  915  =  1830;  (Better Plan) + 2 children free.
1 child x 195     =    195;   (Good Plan)
1 Adult x 198     =    198;  (Daily Care Better Plan - day to day) + 2 children free.
1 child x  99      =      99;   (Daily Care Better Plan - day to day)

TOTAL FAMILY PRICE;  2322pa

The above "Option 2"  covers good hospital cover for all the whole family and full day to day outpatient cover for 1 adult and the 3 children, with 
all visits refundable ie. 25 refund per visit.  You can decide which adult will sign up for the outpatient cover which is required if the 2 kids are 
to go free,  whoever is more likely to use it more often.


Option 3

In the past year, there is a growing trend where families use 2 different companies to save money overall, according to their needs.
The following suggestion shows how you can do this to maximise cover at the cheapest price available with Glohealth and Laya Healthcare.
This option will include full hospital cover + good day to day cover(1 euro excess)  for 2 adults and 3 children.

Details as follows;

Laya Healthcare;
This company has 2 new plans coming out on 1 Aug and 9 Aug 2013, worth considering for adults including full hospital + good outpatient cover.
1. Simply Health Connect;  adult price  960 or (987 includes a 3% charge if you pay by instalments)
OR
2.  Connectcare;   adult price 990 or (1017 includes 3% charge if you pay by instalments)

www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/...nnect-and-health-sense-connect-on-01.08.2013/
www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/laya-will-release-a-new-plan-connectcare-on-09.08.2013/

Child Option with Laya
Family Care plan;   price per child  212pa - full hospital cover and good day to day outpatient cover(1 euro excess)
This reduced price will apply from 1 August 2013.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&50/

Glohealth;
Better Plan;  adult price;   915pa;  good hospital cover, limited day to day outpatient cover + 2 children go free under 3 yrs.
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&298/
+
Daily Care Better Plan;  adult price; 198pa  - good day to day cover + 2 children under 3yrs go free.
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?outpatient&304/

OVERALL FAMILY PRICE
1 x Adult;   915 (Better plan includes 2 kids free)
1 x Adult;   198 (Daily Care Better Plan includes 2 kids free)
1 x Adult;   987 ( Laya Simply Health Connect)
1 x Child;   212 ( Laya Family Care plan)

TOTAL FAMILY PRICE;  2312pa


OPTION 4   - VHI

If you wanted to stay with VHI,  similar cover for 2 adults with good hospital cover(NO day to day) and 3 kids good hospital + day to day will
cost 3011pa.  Details as follows;

One Plan;     price per adult;   943 x 2      - good hospital, no day to day cover.
 PMI 35 13 PLAN;  price per child;  375 x 3   -  good hospital + good day to day cover.
TOTAL FAMILY PRICE;  3011pa

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&105/
www.hia.ie/latest-news/latest-news/vhi-release-new-plan-pmi-35-13-on-01.08.2013/ 

OR

Full hospital cover + good day to day cover for the whole family with VHI will cost 3245pa
PMI 35 13 PLAN;   adult price  1060 x 2
PMI 35 13 PLAN;   kids price  375 x 3 
TOTAL FAMILY PRICE 3245pa.


OPTION 5   -
AVIVA HEALTH
Similar cover with Aviva Health,  just hospital cover for 2 adults and full hospital cover + good day to day for 3 children, will cost 2876pa.
Full hospital + day to day cover for 2adults + 3kids will cost 3028pa.
Details as follows;

Level 2 Health Excess;   adult price 904 x 2 = 1808  -  full hospital cover + limited outpatient cover.
Health Plan 06;              child price 356 x 3 = 1068  -  full hospital cover + good day to day outpatient cover.
TOTAL FAMILY PRICE;   2876pa
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&249&309/

OR

Health Plan 06;   adult price 980 x 2 =  1960 -  full hospital cover + good day to day outpatient cover.
Health Plan 06;   kids price  356 x 3 =   1068 - full hospital cover + good day to day outpatient cover.
TOTAL FAMILY PRICE;  3028pa
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&309/


As the above 5 options with all 4 providers show, there are plenty of savings to be made, without compromising on cover.
You are paying through the nose at the moment with VHI, especially for the children.
The free kids offer with Glohealth is well worth considering,  hope you find suitable alternatives.
If you have any further questions, no problem.

Hope I haven't provided too much info,  there's a lot of food for thought -  which may help other readers also.
You have plenty of time on your side to consider your choices,  hopefully the above prices will stay the same until September.


Regards,  Snowyb


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## jc12 (30 Jul 2013)

Thanks Snowyb.

In  relation to Glohealth under 3, my daughter will be 2 on the date of renewal but will turn 3 in December. Will she be free for the whole year of the policy or just until her birthday?

Thanks again


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## snowyb (30 Jul 2013)

Hi ,
She will be free for the whole year until September 2014.

Once a child is under 3 yrs at renewal date they are free for the full year.
Snowyb


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## jc12 (12 Aug 2013)

Contacted Glohealth and have updated with responses.

Some scenario questions in relation to Glohealth based on option 1 and 2

Our doctor referred us to a hospital for monitoring of our daughter. She went to a private hospital and stayed for 3 nights. Would this just have cost us the excess of 100? Glohealth - only the 100 euro excess

My dad had a minor heart attack. Went to a consultant for a checkup and to a private hospital for a stress test. What would this have cost? Glohealth - hospital would be fully covered

Suffer from a bad back. Went to a consultant and had a procedure done as a private patient in a public hospital. What would this have cost? Glohealth - hospital would be fully covered

Thanks again


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## snowyb (12 Aug 2013)

Hi jc12,

Answers to your scenario questions re Glohealth options 1 + 2 as follows;

1. Yes, you would pay the 100 excess for your daughters stay in a private hospital for 3 days.
 This 100 excess applies for both plans Better Plan Excess Cash and Better Plan.
Once a person (adult or child) is admitted overnight or longer in a private hospital, this 100 euro is charged on admission.
It is 100 euro per complete stay - NOT PER NIGHT -  but it would cost 100 for an overnight stay  or  for a 10 night stay for example.
So if a person was admitted to a private hospital,  say for example 4 or 5 different times in a year,  it would cost the patient 100 each time
on admission.  A patient has to stay overnight for the 100 euro to be charged.


2.  Second scenario,  dad referred by consultant for a stress test in a private hospital.
If the stress test was done as a  day case in a private hospital, it would cost 50 euro(see hia link under 'Inpatient, bottom of page, day case private hospital)
If he was admitted overnight or longer, it would cost 100.  If its done as an outpatient test, there is no charge.

3. Third scenario, bad back, procedure done in public hospital as a private patient.
No,  you would not pay anything to any public hospital for either a day case procedure or for a hospital stay.
A hospital excess charge never applies to any public hospital under any circumstances,  treatments, procedures, surgery etc are all fully 
covered in any public hospital, no charges apply.
What you do pay for is a private consultant visit beforehand as an outpatient, or x-rays or scans done in a private scan centre.
Once admitted to hospital, all further x-rays,scans, consultant fees, treatment etc are fully covered in any public hospital.

You would also pay for a private consultant visit, say 6-8 weeks after being discharged from hospital following surgery or treatment, again 
as an outpatient.
These private consultant fees can be submitted as part of your outpatient expenses claim after renewal date every year.



NOTE;  There is an alternative plan with GLOHEALTH, that has No hospital excess charge, children under 3 are free on this plan too.
  Details as follows;
Best Plan;    price per adult;  1100pa;  good hospital cover, no private excess charge, limited outpatient cover.
Kids under 3 years go free on Best Plan.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&335/


Children can be on different plans to the adults,  so there are 4 different plans to choose from in respect of the 5 year old.
1.  Best Plan;  price per child;  255pa;  public,private & hi-tech hospital cover, NO hospital excess, limited outpatient cover.
2.  Better Plan; price per child   230pa;  public,private & hi-tech hospital cover, 100 euro hospital excess,  limited outpatient cover.
3.  Better Plan Excess Cash; price per child; 272pa; public,private & hi-tech hospital cover,  100 euro hospital excess,  good outpatient(50 excess).
4.  Good Plan;  price per child;  195pa   just public hospital cover only,  limited outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&335&298&348&297/

If you require outpatient cover, you can still take out Daily Care Better Plan (details already in Option 2)


EXTRA OPTIONS;  VHI HEALTHCARE  OR   LAYA HEALTHCARE

If you are considering VHI as an option or maybe a combined option with Glohealth,  there is a good alternative plan with NO hospital
excess to consider as follows;

Company Plan Extra Level 3;  price per adult;  1280pa  -  good hospital cover, NO hospital excess + excellent outpatient cover.
Company Plan Extra Level 3;  price per child;    451pa  -  good hospital cover, no hospital excess, excellent outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&111/


If you are considering LAYA as an option or maybe as a combined option with Glohealth,  there is a good alternative plan with No hospital
excess to consider as follows;

Company Care Plus;  price per adult;  1201(1237)pa - good hospital cover,  NO hospital excess, excellent outpatient cover.
Company Care Plus;  price per child;   421(433)pa - good hospital cover, NO hospital excess, excellent outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?82&198/


Aviva's plans with no excess are not competitive on price.

If a person has ongoing health issues and are inclined to opt for private hospitals,  it is recommended to choose a plan with no hospital excess.
Hope this clears up a few things in your decision making.

Regards, Snowyb


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