Hi Snowyb,
Very impressed by your advice on this forum.
1
My two parents are on VHI Health Plus Extra, where my dad has many pre-existing conditions (including asthma, heart conditions etc) and is nervous of switching insurers. My mum has never used the plan but likes the reassurance that it is there should she need it. They are aged 60 and 61. So, I was looking at Laya Company Care Plus as an alternative for them. Do you have any thoughts on it?
Policy renewal date is 01/8/2013.
Thanks.
Hi sonas2013,
The Company Care Plus plan with Laya is highly recommended as an ideal alternative to Health Plus Extra(Plan B Options).
It has the same hospital cover plus extras compared to the VHI plan.
It also has excellent day to day outpatient cover, including 75% refund for gp and consultant visits with a 1 euro excess. There are no age-related outpatient waiting times applied to Laya plans which is a big advantage for people over 50 years of age. Outpatient cover is immediate, from renewal date 1/8/2013 for both of them.
Regarding your father's pre-existing conditions, he will have exactly the same HOSPITAL cover as before - no difference whatsoever.
There are a few hospital extras on the new plan, Company Care Plus, which would mean in simple terms that he would wait 2 years to use 'just the extras'
in relation to his pre-existing conditions ONLY.
For example, the shortfall per night for a private room in a private hospital with 'Company Care Plus' is just 50euro per night. This shortfall with VHI is 300-400 per night depending on the hospital involved. So, say for example, your father was in a private hospital in connection with his heart condition and wanted to pay the extra for a private room, he would be charged the VHI price of 300-400 per night. He would have to wait 2 years until the 50euro price would apply.
All new illnesses will be covered straight away from renewal date 1/8/2013
with no waiting times, including all the extras on the new plan, for both your parents.
These are the extras relating to HOSPITAL cover on Company Care Plus;
1. Private Hospital semi private room; extra 10% cover in Hermitage and Galway Clinic for special procedures(orthopaedic + cataract surgery).
2. Private Hospital private room; 50 euro per night shortfall; - the shortfall with B options would be 300-400per night.
3. Special Procedures in Blackrock Clinic, Mater Private and Beacon; extra 10% cover compared to VHI.
4. Lower shortfall of 175 per night in a hi-tech hospital, shortfall with 55% cover is 260 per night with VHI.
5. Convalescence cover 9euro extra per night compared to VHI.
Comparison between the 2 plans as follows;
www.hia.ie/ci/comparison/step3?68&198/
If your father is still reluctant to switch companies, your mother could still switch to improve cover and reduce costs.
If you have any more questions, or if you need anything explained in more detail, that's no problem.
Regards, Snowyb