# Health insurance for children



## Helen (31 Mar 2006)

In an article in the sunday business post last Sunday the following was said:


> ‘‘Any child under the age of 16 will be treated in a children’s hospital. Parents should therefore ask themselves if they really should be paying for cover for their children in Dublin’s Blackrock Clinic or the Mater private hospital for example. It would be a better idea to have the parents on a higher level of cover, and the children under suitable, but lower, cover.”


Here is a link to the full article 

[broken link removed]

This seems like a sensible suggestion, however it doesn't seem possible on VHI or Vivas to insure your children on a separate plan. I couldn't access the quote page on BUPA but I would imagine it is the same. 

Has anyone else thought about this and what have you decided to do with your children's health insurance?


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## bambino (2 Apr 2006)

I have 2 young girls, the eldest is 4 and the youngest is 15 mths (no.3 is currently cooking!) both of the girls had different medical problems....with the youngest it was a problem with her ears which was starting to effect her speach. Our GP suggested getting Grommits. If we had no VHI and waited for a public appointment we would still be waiting (probably until November - just for an appointment to see the specialist) we decided to go private....Saw our gp on the thursday, met consultant on the following Tuesday and procedure completed the following tuesday. Her understanding has improved no end, we don't have to shout any more. If we have waited for a public appointment her speach development would have been very slow and probably caused difficulties in the coming yrs.

I personally don't mind paying the additional cost to make sure my childrens healthcare is well taken care of. and to be honest paying an additional cost because they must be on the same plan as me is well worth the money.


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## orka (2 Apr 2006)

VHI do let you insure your children on a different plan - I'm on plan D and my children are on plan B. Haven't read the article but it sounds like sensible advice - once you've got basic VHI cover, 'better' plans will generally only give you better accommodation for children - and they will probably prefer being with other children in a public/semi-private ward anyway.


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## Helen (3 Apr 2006)

orka said:
			
		

> VHI do let you insure your children on a different plan - I'm on plan D and my children are on plan B.


That's good to know. It's not possible to do this on their website but we'll give them a call.

Thanks.


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## Buddha (3 Apr 2006)

I look after our VHI here in work and always advise people to put the kids on plan A or something similar.

On the higher plans you are basically paying for higher levels of accomodation which kids don't get anyway - there are no private rooms for kids no matter what hospital they go to.

NB The article is wrong in saying that kids only go to a children's hospital, they can go to a regional hospital for appendicitis or a broken leg or to a private hospital for a day operation


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## bambino (3 Apr 2006)

Tallaght has private rooms for children. My Eldest spend 3 nights there. Also as you correctly stated, yes children are accomadated in adult hosptial for day procedures...the youngest had her grommits put in in mount carmel. (again private room.)


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## rainbows (3 Apr 2006)

We are on Family Plan Plus one of the new plans with  Vhi . Lots of relevant cover for kids cover for day to day medical expenses such as GP visits, dental benefit , optical benefit etc. Also there is no excess on these new plans.


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## A.Partridge (3 Apr 2006)

Helen, we were in the same boat so I just phoned VHI and they put the kids on to a different level of cover. They have the Family Plan Plus while we have the Plan D Option. Like Rainbows says the cover on the Family Plus plan provides good cover for the kids without the need to pay for Blackrock Clinic which is cover they just won't use. Give them a call or check out their site at www.vhi.ie.


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## Buddha (7 Apr 2006)

Just put in my first claim for Family Plan PLus.

We're getting back GP bills, speech & language and some other bits & pieces.

You don't get everything back but it's better than nothing


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## ClubMan (7 Apr 2006)

Helen said:
			
		

> In an article in the sunday business post last Sunday the following was said:
> 
> 
> > ‘‘Any child under the age of 16 will be treated in a children’s hospital. Parents should therefore ask themselves if they really should be paying for cover for their children in Dublin’s Blackrock Clinic or the Mater private hospital for example. It would be a better idea to have the parents on a higher level of cover, and the children under suitable, but lower, cover.”
> ...


 *Any *person of *any *age will be treated in a public hospital. This is not particular to children. This should be borne in mind when assessing one's need for health insurance. Of course, so too should the waiting lists for elective surgery/procedures and other public health service capacity, one's general health status, risk factors etc.


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