# Hospital/Consultant Only Plan



## appd (8 Oct 2012)

Hi

I have been unable to find any plans from the 3 main players, that provide in patient cover only. I have an elderly parent who has a medical card for GP / Prescriptions etc, and I took out private insurance in case hospital care is ever required. But it doesn't seem to make sense paying for out patient benefits when not required.

Does anyone know if such plans are available?

thanks


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## snowyb (8 Oct 2012)

Hi Appd,

What plan is your parent on at present and also what is their renewal date?

Regarding health insurance plans with hospital only cover, there are plans with very limited out-patient cover.  But it doesn't mean they are cheaper than plans with both hospital + out-patient cover.  In some cases, they are a lot more expensive which doesn't make sense but that's the way it actually is.

Snowyb


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## appd (8 Oct 2012)

Hi Snowyb

The current plan is Essential Plus Excess. Not sure of the renewal Date. Yes, for plans to exclude outpatient cover but be more expensive, seems to make little sense (for consumers anyway).


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## snowyb (8 Oct 2012)

The following are a selection of plans with hospital cover and limited outpatient cover, to consider with all 4 providers;

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?298&277/

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?105&249/



The following are a selection of plans with hospital cover and good outpatient cover.

www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?279&266&309/

Snowyb


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## huskerdu (8 Oct 2012)

Most of the cheaper plans have very limited out-patients cover and a large excess. 

eg. Essential connect from Laya, pays out nothing for GP visits, 51 per consultant visit and there is an excess of 150 before you can claim anything. 
This means that you can claim nothing unless you have visited the consultant 4 times in the year. 

If your parent ever needs private hospital care, they will have to visit the consultant privately, at a cost of at least 150 per visit.  It might be a good idea to have some sort of cover, in case they have a lot of consultant visits.


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## irishartists (7 Dec 2012)

I've been looking for something similar for relatives, but have come up against the same snags highlighted by huskerdu. Been considering Laya Health Manager First, because they have an excess of only €1 for outpatient costs, which includes consultant costs, for which they pay out 50%. However, what I'm unsure about is the fact that they only cover you for "selected" hospitals, and have no cover for High-tech hospitals, (except very limited cardiac proceduresin the Beacon.) I have been assured - by a Laya representative - that there's virtually no procedure which could be performed in a High-tech hospital which could not also be done in one of their approved private hospitals, but they would say that, wouldn't they ? 
Anyone have any comments on Laya's hospital cover, pro or con ? 
( Apologies if this is the wrong thread to post this, but it seemed the most appropriate.)


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