Health Insurance VHI renewal - (PublicPlus Care Day-to-day) is due next month

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masterboy123

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Hi,

We are a couple (under 35), and our VHI (PublicPlus Care Day-to-day) is due next month. It's costing us €1026 annually for both.

1. Is it true that we may get a better rate if we switch? We don't have any health issues and are happy with what VHI provides.

2. We have a healthy toddler. Is it advisable to add them to your private health insurance?

Thanks
 
Hi,

If you go to the HIA website www.hia.ie you should be able to compare your current plan. At €513 each it is already a good price but I'm not familiar with that plan so not sure if you are getting good value for money.

If it were me I would definitely have my child covered under health insurance but each to their own.
 
Hi,

Under the age of 35 I would ask yourself the question why you would like to have a "public only" health insurance plan in the first place?

You don't have to worry about age loading yet.

The fee for a public hospital is €80 a night, max €800 in a rolling 12 month period. That's more than 6 days needed per year in a hospital to cross the break even line against the cost of your premium. Private rooms are a rarity in public hospitals and the few that do exist are used based on need eg. Infection control.

You do get a little bit back on day to day. €20 capped x 3 for the like of GP. Usefulness will depend on whether you use these. You do get scans covered, which can be handy. However consultant cover is only €60 and there is a €100 excess before any claim is covered, so that's basically another €100 to add to your premium if you want to use that benefit twice.

Having access to scans and a private consultation without actually having access to private hospital treatment is not all that useful. The benefit is you will get diagnosed earlier but then any treatment they offer you, you're going to have to pay out of pocket or go back to your GP to get a referral to a public hospital and join the same waiting list you would have been on anyways.

Urgent care is covered for 2 visits at €75 all inclusive. This can be very good to have. It is missing the follow up package of other plans for the likes of physio, classes etc

Really the main benefit I can see is the waiting time to upgrade to a private hospital plan and have cover for existing issues is 2 years instead of 5 years if you have no insurance.

For the toddler, it's similar to your own case. The government are currently looking to abolish hospital charges for under 16. Until then if the premium is small it could be handy having it cover any potential hospital stays. However the main benefit ( for getting faster access to common surgeries with long waiting lists) would be in private hospitals for which there is no cover. No cover for VHI paediatric clinic. Cover for urgent care x 2 visits which is handy for potential injuries.

Perhaps you may be better off taking that money and putting into a healthcare pot which you can spend as you need to. Then join a plan again before you turn 35 to avoid age loading.

Or perhaps you could consider upgrading to the lowest cost company plans now eg VHI PMI 5210 or Laya Inspire but this will entail increasing your budget to at least around €1200 per person. €200-350 for a child.

It really depends on how much you want to be covered for any unexpected chronic illness/injury that has a long waiting list in the public system.
 
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That is a very thought provoking and comprehensive response to my query.

I should have been more clear that I am about to turn 35. I took VHI when I was 32 and, in the same year had an emergency procedure done. I was admitted via A&E and kept in a semi-private room. There were daily investigations and morning consultant reviews.
I was very happy that I had VHI. Because I realised I could have been in another room sharing with six others and where the consultant doesn't see patients daily.

And I paid zero euros. Although the VHI summary indicated, that the total hospital bill was around €5000. That day I decided to continue with VHI.

I do agree with you that a semi-private room may not be available at all times.

The Laya Inspire is indeed pricey for us. We can afford around €100 a month.

I will do more research on this area today.
 
No worries. Hope it helped a little.

Given your age then it's definitely best you at least keep your insurance to avoid age loading. If you are in good health and don't want to push your budget there is no immediate pressure to pay more for a private hospital plan. As long as you are aware what you are getting for money/ what the differences are/ what the upgrade waiting periods are.

It's great to hear you had a good personal experience. You may already know this yourself but just incase it's worth noting as a public patient you have the right to maintain your status as such even when billing insurance. Ie. VHI get billed the €80 a night inclusive instead of €813 a night and an itemised bill for every service. From a legal perspective, your medical care should be the same whether you sign the public care waiver or not. In reality it's probable someone somewhere is still attempting to get more money for the hospital by providing as many services to private patients to increase the bill. Apparently it used to be widespread ( in private hospitals as well ) until the insurers set up specific investigation teams to cut down on bogus claims. The VHI calls it's own the special investigations unit.

From my own personal experience it appears that it's partly luck on the day as to what you get in a public hospital. It really depends on how busy the hospital is and what unit you need to be admitted to. It's well within your right to ask what exact benefit you will get before you sign to be a private patient. Ie. Can you guarantee I will get a semi -private or private room? If they can't guarantee you some aspect of a better service then it's a personal choice really as to what you want billed to the insurer. It goes without saying larger bills increase the average cost of premiuims. Some see it as helping the hospital with its funding, some see it as double taxation.
 
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