# Health Insurance Advice



## jeff01 (4 Jan 2009)

Hi,

I'm working on a project to help consumers keep on top of their health insurance entitlements and make it easy for them to ensure that they are claiming everything that they are entitled to.

Is there anybody else out there who has an interest in this area or some practical experience of the claims procedures for the main health insurers?

If so and if you would like to participate in this project, please let me know.

Jeff


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## ClubMan (4 Jan 2009)

What exactly do you mean by "health insurance entitlements"? Social insurance entitlements? Private medical/health insurance entitlements? Permanent health insurance entitlements? All of these? Do the terms & conditions of each scheme not clarify what people are entitled to already?


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## jeff01 (4 Jan 2009)

Mainly private health insurance but also social insurance, tax reliefs etc. Basically what I have in mind is a system which will record all your medical expenses as you incur them and periodically prroduce the necessary claims for your health insurer, Revenue or Social Welfare.


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## Jimbobp (5 Jan 2009)

Sounds like a good idea. I'd happily pay a % of my benefit entitlements  to avoid having to chase down revenue for trs/bin charges etc payments. I'd imagine that you will run into data protection & possibly financial regulator regulation.


www.powerinsurances.ie


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## scuby (5 Jan 2009)

all you need to do in relation to you health insurance is keep the bills for GP/Consultant etc during the year and submit them in one go after your next renewal.


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## ClubMan (5 Jan 2009)

With _VHI _you can claim day to day medical expenses (where covered!) on an ongoing basis - no need to wait until calendar or subscription year end. Maybe other insurers are the same? I just keep a folder with all medical related receipts in it. _VHI_ need originals of stuff like _GP _and consultant receipts so I photocopy them although the _VHI _payment form is also sufficient for _MED1 _purposes. I also keep a spreadsheet updated on an ongoing basis of all medical expenditure and any reimbursement (e.g. _VHI, Drug Payment Scheme _etc.). At the end of the year the net expenses should qualify for _MED1 _tax relief.


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## jeff01 (6 Jan 2009)

Thanks for the valuable feedback - especially ClubMan's insight into the VHI process. This is the type of online record keeping and automated form production service that I have in mind to cater for all health insurers plus Revenue.

Has anybody got an insight into the practicalities of keeping records for the other helath insurers?

Security is a key issue and as Jimbobp points out there are data protection issues - not sure about financial regulation issues though.

I suppose what I'm trying to guage is if there is a market for such a system and how much would people pay for it. I'd happily pay €30-€40 per annum to keep my records up to date and simplify the form filling processes.


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## truthseeker (6 Jan 2009)

jeff01 said:


> I'd happily pay €30-€40 per annum to keep my records up to date and simplify the form filling processes.


 
I wouldnt. Why would I pay that for something I can do so easily myself?


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## ClubMan (6 Jan 2009)

jeff01 said:


> Thanks for the valuable feedback - especially ClubMan's insight into the VHI process. This is the type of online record keeping and automated form production service that I have in mind to cater for all health insurers plus Revenue.


Do you mean that you envisage starting up a (free or commercial?) service for people to maintain their medical insurance and tax records online? A bit like Google Health except for the financial rather than medical aspects?


> Has anybody got an insight into the practicalities of keeping records for the other helath insurers?


As I said already the _T&Cs_ of the various insurers' policies should clarify.


> I suppose what I'm trying to guage is if there is a market for such a system and how much would people pay for it. I'd happily pay €30-€40 per annum to keep my records up to date and simplify the form filling processes.


I wouldn't either since it costs nothing other than a small amount of manual effort to do it yourself.


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## truthseeker (6 Jan 2009)

ClubMan said:


> I wouldn't either since it costs nothing other than a small amount of manual effort to do it yourself.


 
And I know I would end up checking that it had been done properly so Id still expend the same amount of manual effort anyway.


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## jeff01 (6 Jan 2009)

Thanks again for your input, it may well be that it would be a totally free system funded by sponsorship...

If this was the case would consumers find it useful?


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## ClubMan (6 Jan 2009)

I meant to say that I keep my _MED1 _spreadsheet and associated bumpf (e.g. scanned docs/receipts) on _Google Docs_.


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## truthseeker (6 Jan 2009)

jeff01 said:


> Thanks again for your input, it may well be that it would be a totally free system funded by sponsorship...
> 
> If this was the case would consumers find it useful?


 
Whats the advantage in using it?

I just keep all my medical receipts and make the online claim for MED1 (luckily havent had to make a VHI claim yet - touch wood).

Its really just a simple matter of logging in, entering one figure (all the receipts added up).


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