# Health Insurance & Maternity Cover what is the best plan and health insurance co?



## Mary_K (24 Aug 2006)

I did a search through previous discussions and don't seem to be able to find any info on this. 

For a young couple planning a child over the next year or two, what is the best plan and health insurance company to be with? Exactly what is covered and what is not covered. I think I read something at one stage that there is increased maternity cover with VHI's [broken link removed]. Does Vivas or BUPA offer anything better? Thanks.


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## ClubMan (24 Aug 2006)

*Re: Health Insurance & Maternity Cover*

For what it's worth (can't find the original thread now) our _VHI Family Plan Plus _policy (comes with my job) covered everything for semi-private cover in the _Rotunda _with the exception of (a) the triple test and non routine investigative scan (€200) and (b) €500 of the _Rotunda's _hospital charges which were payable directly. Both of these amounts qualify for tax relief though so the effective total bill is more like €400.


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## Mary_K (25 Aug 2006)

*Re: Health Insurance & Maternity Cover*

Thanks Clubman! I'll look into that.


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## ClubMan (25 Aug 2006)

*Re: Health Insurance & Maternity Cover*

But check out the others. We're just with _VHI _because the job provides the benefit. _VHI _would not normally be my first choice if I was paying for it myself.

The _HIA _survey of private health insurance products might be of interest to you:

*[broken link removed]*


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## Dinky (25 Aug 2006)

*Re: Health Insurance & Maternity Cover*

First of all you need to decide what type of hospital accommodation cover you want on your health insurance in the first place, and then look at the maternity benefits from there.  In other words, if you were to go into hospital for any reason other than maternity, would you prefer:
(i)  a semi-private room in a public hospital
(ii)  a private room in a public hospital; a semi-private room in a private hospital
(iii) a private room in a public and a private hospital
(iv) a private room in a public and a private hospital; a semi-private room in the Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private
(v) a private room in a public hospital, private hospital, Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private.

Obviously, the level of cover you choose will then determine your maternity benefits.  I've looked into this a lot (forward planning!!), so if you want any info on specific benefits on any of the plans out there, let me know.


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## westsider (25 Aug 2006)

Just one other thing you might want to take a look into - I have read reports on magicmum.com of scenarios for some patients who were going private having difficulties with BUPA paying out for various things - one of the examples that springs to mind is a lady that was checking into Mount Carmel having gone into labour in the evening. I think she arrived at the hospital at around 11.30pm so this in effect bacme a full night accom. (apparently you are not charged for the night if you are checking in after midnight) Bupa argued that they were not going to pay for this additional day and she had to shell out for it herself. Another story was of a lady taken into hospital with pre-eclampsia a week before the due date. They wouldn't pay for the accom as they claimed in their books it was not a medical neccesity. 
Maybe you should just ask a few questions on magicmum.com too and see what people come back to you with.


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## Dinky (25 Aug 2006)

westsider said:


> I have read reports on magicmum.com of scenarios for some patients who were going private having difficulties with BUPA paying out for various things


 
Ouch!  That's scary...

BUPA have the highest grant for delivery in a private hospital on the plans I'm looking at.  I'm on BUPA's Essential Plus at the moment, and they give €2,800 toward your accommodation if you go private, whereas Vivas give €2,700 on their Level 2 and VHI give €2,100 on their Plan B.  Not sure if the extra few quid is worth it, though, if they're going to gripe about payments.  Not sure that I'd even go private anyhow, as hopefully the new maternity wing in CUH will be open by the time I'll be needing a maternity ward.  (Then again...!!!)

I was on VHI for years and switched to BUPA because VHI were the most inefficient shower (and the most expensive!).  I'm actually thinking of switching to Vivas now that my renewal is due, because they're a bit cheaper again, and their excess is lower so I'd get back more on my pre-natal check-ups.  Plus they have this maternity benefit whereby they give you €300 to get someone in to do your housework for you after the birth.  Never mind the delivery fees and that... having someone pay for your hoovering sounds mighty attractive to me!!   

Is anyone out there on Vivas?  Any opinions or feedback in case I do decide to switch?


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## Mary_K (28 Aug 2006)

Many thanks everybody. I'll need to look into a bit more. Still find it very confusing!!


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## ClubMan (28 Aug 2006)

Does the _HIA _survey link that I posted not help to clarify matters?

Don't forget that you could always choose to go public if you want.


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## johnswell (22 Jun 2009)

*Re: Health Insurance & Maternity Cover*

Hi Dinky - I'm looking for a bit of advice on this issue too.  My sisters have both gone private in the Coombe so that's probably what I would do too but am just wondering what plan I should be on to provide for this.  I'm currently with Hibernian on probably the lowest plan as that's all I could afford when I joined up.  If you have any recommendations I'd be very grateful.



Dinky said:


> First of all you need to decide what type of hospital accommodation cover you want on your health insurance in the first place, and then look at the maternity benefits from there. In other words, if you were to go into hospital for any reason other than maternity, would you prefer:
> (i) a semi-private room in a public hospital
> (ii) a private room in a public hospital; a semi-private room in a private hospital
> (iii) a private room in a public and a private hospital
> ...


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## huskerdu (22 Jun 2009)

*Re: Health Insurance & Maternity Cover*

Hi Johnswell,

I dont have a complete comparison of maternity cover of the different health insurance  companies, but it is important to point out that none of them cover the full cost of a private care. The consultant fee will be between 3000 and 4000 and your cover for this will be between nil and 500 depending on your company and cover.  

Most plans cover 3 nights in a private bed in a public hospital. 

Once you are a private patient, you must pay for scans and blood tests and health insurance companies do not cover this.


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## NovaFlare77 (23 Jun 2009)

The Health Insurance Authority's website has comparisons of the main benefits of nearly all health insurance products, including maternity. See [broken link removed].

As huskerdu pointed out, there is no product that will fully cover your costs. What also needs to be considered is that an "upgrade waiting period" applies when you change plans. The upgrade waiting period is a period of time you have to wait for the higher benefit to kick in. In the case of maternity, I believe it's 52 weeks from the date of upgrading, but check with your insurer as it may be shorter than this in some circumstances.

What this means is that for the 52 weeks after you upgrade, any maternity-related treatment you receive will be refunded on the basis of the old plan, not the new.

Which is my very long-winded way of saying that if you're already pregnant, there's no point changing plans as you won't get any additional benefit for your hospital or consultant costs.


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## j26 (23 Jun 2009)

We've gone through 2 pregnancies (and several other bits and pieces) with VHI and never had a problem.

Family Plan Plus is handy for providing a bit back from the cost of doctors visits that accumulate during the course of the year. As for price competition, I don't know.  I'm happy enough to stay with VHI.


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## Belle (23 Jun 2009)

Hi gals,
Yes I'm with vivas and have the teacher's plan.  I think it's plan C.  I can confirm (rang today!) that they give €3450 towards private hospital.  You are fully covered for a private rm in a public hospital and they reimburse €400 for the consultant.  They give €120 towards home help, sorry to burst the bubble dinky it's not €300!!! The wait period is 1 year though b4 you can avail of all this.
Keep me posted on any new info please as I still havet decided if Im going private, sem or public.
Good luck


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