# Health Insurance - maternity cover



## sinbadsailor (14 Dec 2007)

I am looking to change health plans/insurers to get the best cover for my wife and newborn next year.

Can anyone recommend a good plan. I have looked at the various sites but the information seems to be copied with a few words changed and small differences in the figures. The price of no competition I suppose.

I would prefer a private route hospital wise, as as far as I can see, going public for having a baby, anything could happen.


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## terrysgirl33 (14 Dec 2007)

Have you health insurance at the moment?  For pregnancy, you have to have health insurance for 52 weeks before you are covered, I think this is before you have the baby, but you may want to check.  I have gone semi-private and public, so far public is better.


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## ClubMan (14 Dec 2007)

Check the HIA website consumer information/surveys. Don't forget  that you can always go public.


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## sinbadsailor (14 Dec 2007)

I have a the VHI Company Plan for myself and my wife through my LTD company.
I am only beginning to look into the change, so just hoping for any words of wisdom
to speed things along. Being Health insurance, it's all about personal circustances I know


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## ClubMan (14 Dec 2007)

If you have already served waiting periods with one health insurer then you don't need to serve them for the same cover again with another. If you switch to a higher level of cover then there may be waiting periods for newly covered treatments/conditions etc.

We were covered by _VHI _for our semi-private birth a few years back and had no major problems. We had to pay for a scan/test outside of the normal semi-private cover ourselves and were liable for the normal (?) €500 fee that the _Rotunda _(and others) charge (although it remains in dispute over an invoicing issue/complaint and they have not followed up to collect it to date!). Remember that some, most or all unreimbursed expenses will qualify for _MED1_ tax relief.


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## terrysgirl33 (14 Dec 2007)

To be honest, I didn't think there was a huge difference between the different health insurers, especially if you go the hospital route.  I *think* that BUPA may offer a good grant towards a homebirth midwife, and I *think* they offer money towards nursing care afterwards, but really you need to look up the various policies on offer.


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## terrysgirl33 (14 Dec 2007)

I forgot to say, there may be a 52 week waiting period to qualify for higher cover, I can't exactly remember so please check yourself, is your wife expecting already.


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## loll (14 Dec 2007)

even with private health insurance you still have to pay the consultant up to €3000!!!!


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## ClubMan (14 Dec 2007)

loll said:


> even with private health insurance you still have to pay the consultant up to €3000!!!!


Only on fully private? We didn't have that charge on semi-private. Or whatever charges there were in this context were covered by our _VHI Family Plan Plus _policy.


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## terrysgirl33 (14 Dec 2007)

VHI plan B excess details:
[broken link removed]

Quinn essentail plus:
http://www.quinn-healthcare.com/products/essentialplus.htm#MaternityGrant

Vivas 'we plan' level 2:
[broken link removed]

It's worth remembering that whether you go public/private/semi you are entitled to free antenatal care, and a post natal visit with your GP under the combined care scheme, since some of the info here proudly proclaims that they will pay towards your GP costs in pregnancy...


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## sinbadsailor (14 Dec 2007)

terrysgirl33 said:


> I forgot to say, there may be a 52 week waiting period to qualify for higher cover, I can't exactly remember so please check yourself, is your wife expecting already.



We're are not expecting yet, but working on it, thanks for the responses everyone. I guess I'll jut have to dig into it all and have a chat with my wife and see what she thinks her needs will be.


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