Health Insurance Health Insurance Options For Elderly Parents

2Clueless

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Hello,

I always get great advice here. My parents are looking for Health Insurance options. As far as I know, they rarely/never changed their plan. They have their policy through the Irish Farmers Association. It is called HealthPlus Access and it's with VHI. The cost from July '19 until June '20 for each of them was 2132 gross. They want the same/better coverage and they want to stay with VHI. They are aged 81 & 76 and in good health. Thanks in advance.
 
Hi 2Clueless,

Just a quick question in relation to your parents, in what county are they based?
Are they based in Dublin?

Snowyb
 
2Clueless,

The VHI plan they are on is the old plan B and is expensive for the level of cover.
The main reason for having a plan like that, is because it covers hip or knee replacement surgery in private hospitals.
There are four alternative VHI plans to consider if they don't mind taking on an inpatient excess which is a small amount you pay only if you
are admitted to a private hospital for a stay. This excess payment does not apply to any public hospital. Details as follows;

1. VHI HealthPlus Excess; price 1940pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech Dublin hospitals covered, private hospital inpatient excess is 75 euro per
admission, day case excess is 75 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Day to day cover included, the first 100 not allowed.
Hip and knee replacement surgery covered in private and hi-tech hospitals.

2. VHI Health Access; price 1821pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech Dublin hospitals covered, private hospital inpatient excess is 125 euro per
admission, day case excess is 125 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Day to day cover included, the first 100 not allowed.
Hip and knee replacement surgery covered in private and hi-tech hospitals.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...Mb2NrIjpmYWxzZSwicGxhbl9kZXRhaWxfaWQiOi0xfX1d

3. VHI PMI 07 10; price 1297pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech Dublin hospitals covered; private hospital inpatient excess is capped at 150 x 1
max per year for all private or hi-tech hospital admissions per year, regardless of how many. Day case excess 50 euro per procedure.
No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro excess, refund of 50% for consultant visits, gp visits, physio, etc.
NOTE; this plan has 80% cover for hip and knee replacement surgery in private or hi-tech hospitals, but it is fully covered in the Blackrock Clinic in
Dublin. A 20% shortfall of 2k - 3k would be charged in any other private hospital.
Also, Whitfield Private hospital in Waterford and Kingsbridge Private in Sligo are NOT covered on this plan.

4. Company Plan Plus Level 1.3; price 1252pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private hospital inpatient excess is 150
per admission, day case excess is 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro excess,
refund of 50% for consultant visits, gp visits, physio, dental etc. All private hospitals are covered on this plan.
NOTE; this plan has 80% cover for hip and knee replacement surgery in private or hi-tech hospitals, but it is fully covered in the Blackrock Clinic in
Dublin.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...Mb2NrIjpmYWxzZSwicGxhbl9kZXRhaWxfaWQiOi0xfX1d

If they are willing to consider a Laya plan, there is better cover at cheaper prices. I know the reluctance involved in switching, because of the long
number of years with VHI. Details as follows;

5. Laya Simplicity Plan; price 1370pa; all public, private (including private room fully covered) and 3 hi-tech Dublin hospitals covered; private hospital
excess is capped at 100 x 2 max per year for all admissions, regardless of how many. Day case excess 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any
public hospital. Day to day cover included, first 100 not allowed, refund of 50% for consultant visits, gp visits, dental, physio etc.
There is full cover for hip or knee replacement surgery in all private and hi-tech hospitals, no restrictions.
There is also the bonus of a private single-occupancy room in any private hospital fully covered. This extra cover may be a valuable option as they
may be inclined to use private hospitals around the Midlands area, maybe Galway Clinic or Bons Secours etc. The Dublin hospitals are also fully
covered for the private room.

If a private room in a private hospital is not a priority, the following Laya plan is worth considering, details as follows;
6. Laya Simply Connect; price 1265pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech Dublin hospitals covered, private hospital inpatient excess is capped at
150 x 2 max per year for all admissions, day case excess is 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro excess, refunds of 50% for consultants, gp visits, dental, physio etc. There is full cover for hip and knee replacement surgery in
all private and hi-tech hospitals on this plan.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...Mb2NrIjpmYWxzZSwicGxhbl9kZXRhaWxfaWQiOi0xfX1d

There are plenty of savings to be made from the above 6 alternative options.
They can choose different plans if required, according to their individual medical needs.
They could choose different companys also to make more savings if they want.


Regards, Snowyb










4. VHI
 
Hi all. my parents are on vhi heath plus excess for long number of years. its priced around €2060 per adult. I feel there has to be better value than this. it has a €100 excess on day to day which has pretty much wiped out any claims they made over the years.

so ideally looking for a cheaper policy with same level of orthopaedic and cardiac cover but with good day to day benefits without an excess.

much appreciate any recommendations please?
 
Hi all. my parents are on vhi heath plus excess for long number of years. its priced around €2060 per adult. I feel there has to be better value than this. it has a €100 excess on day to day which has pretty much wiped out any claims they made over the years.

so ideally looking for a cheaper policy with same level of orthopaedic and cardiac cover but with good day to day benefits without an excess.

much appreciate any recommendations please?

Hi petehog,

You are right there is far better value available if your parents were willing to change provider .

The following plans from LAYA come in cheaper than Health Plus Excess and all cover orthopaedics. No excess applies to 5 orthopaedic procedures (hip and knee replacement) in 12 private hospitals

1. Control 300 Create at €1309
2 Simply Connect at €1361
3. Connect Simplicity at € 1463
4. Simply Connect Plus at € 1470

Control 300 Connect and Connect Simplicity cover a private room in a private hospital while the other two cover up to a semi-private room in private hospitals.

The inpatient excess in a private hospital is €300 per claim on the Control 300 Create plan. The excess is €150 on the three other plans.

There is a €1 excess on everyday expenses on all these plans.

These plans offer very good value compared to €2060 for Health Plus Excess.

I hope this is helpful
 
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