# VHI Company Plan Select



## fogart (14 Jul 2009)

VHi have told my company that we cannot renew our Company Plan Plus health plan and that we must over to new plan Company Plan Select. Cant find any info on their site.Why are they doing this yet again?


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## NovaFlare77 (15 Jul 2009)

Under Open Enrolment legislation and Lifetime Cover legislation, Vhi can't refuse to renew a policy unless the product is no longer on sale. Even then, I think it's common practice to leave existing customers on that product, but I don't know if that's a legal obligation.

As far as I can tell from the Vhi's website and the HIA's website, Company Plan Plus Level 1 is still  available, so your company was probably on Company Plan Plus Level 2.

I've had a look on-line and the only reference I can to Company Plan Select is for Company Plan Plus Select on the insurance page of the Beacon Hospital's website. Give VHI a call and ask them to email you details of the product.

I get the impression that this is a company paid benefit, so your employer is likely within their rights to change products as they see fit (unless your contract specifies a particular product). That said, let your HR people know that you're not comfortable with another change in cover and ask them if VHI can talk to staff before any change is made.


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## fogart (15 Jul 2009)

yes you are right it is called company plan plus select.Talk about complicating health insurance.There is someone coming in from VHI next month to talk to the staff about it but VHI told me on the phone that the number of times that I can claim for gp visits has reduced significantly but they wouldnt email or post me details of the policy and that I was to talk to my employer as it was a "special" policy only for certain companies.


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## NovaFlare77 (15 Jul 2009)

fogart said:


> yes you are right it is called company plan plus select.Talk about complicating health insurance.There is someone coming in from VHI next month to talk to the staff about it but VHI told me on the phone that the number of times that I can claim for gp visits has reduced significantly *but they wouldnt email or post me details of the policy and that I was to talk to my employer as it was a "special" policy only for certain companies*.


 
That part is balderdash. It's an Open Enrolment market, anyone can join. If you wanted to force the issue, you could email them stating what you were told, asking them how it complies with Open Enrolment, and cc the Health Insurance Authority. There's no guarantee it will do anything, as the HIA doesn't have a wide range of powers, but it might set the cat amongst the pigeons a bit. I encounter the same problems with VHI and Hibernian anytime I ask about any of their "company" plans, and it really bugs me.

As for the reduction in GP visits, VHI have done that on all their LifeStage and Company Plans so you may not be losing out there. From July 09, the number of visits covered for GPs etc has been cut from 25 (I think) to 7. Existing customers are affected from their renewal, so even if you weren't changing plans, you'd be affected.


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## fogart (16 Jul 2009)

NovaFlare77 said:


> As for the reduction in GP visits, VHI have done that on all their LifeStage and Company Plans so you may not be losing out there. From July 09, the number of visits covered for GPs etc has been cut from 25 (I think) to 7. Existing customers are affected from their renewal, so even if you weren't changing plans, you'd be affected.


 
Got the answers from VHI today. Reduced number of visits to GP, dentist,physio and consultants to 4 visits used to be 25! Pre & post natal visits reduced to €250.Radiology & pathology tests halved.Visits to Swiftcare reduced by 60%. Excesses of €125 for almost every visit to hospital. After all that,here's the joke, it says on their literature "Whats reduced or removed? - NOTHING.Oh yeah my company no longer qualifies for 10% corporate discount because there is not enough of us!


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## Shannon81 (18 Jul 2009)

hi 

is your company paying for your plan?  If they do then they are just having to cut costs like most companies(you can always stay on your current plan and pay the difference by salary deductions).


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## petermac (22 Jan 2010)

I got a shock to see my VHI for two adults and two students plus 9vhi gold for two of us) came to €4200! which will rise to 4500 when the 8% goes on. Thats nearly 400 a month... or one car insurance per month!. They are nice people and I would have loved to stay with them as I have been there for years but with retirement coming up, I can no longer pay that. I got similar insurance from a competitor for half the price, which is still 200 per month. Next move will be to drop it altogether. Private health insurance costs are  getting out of hand.


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