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[amtc]

Hi any advice would be useful.

My parents are both covered with Irish Life. I am not sure of the plan name but I know is semi private in hospitals plus includes hi tech hospitals.

I think they are over insured. Both have medical cards.

My dad has just turned 80. He is under the care of a geriatric specialist under the public system due to on going issues with a clot. He is perfectly happy with the care he gets there. He even has an arrangement where he meets the specialist in the local pub over a pint if he has any issues.

My mam is well but had one hip replaced on the Santry Sports Clinic and wants to keep up cover for there. Her other hip is starting to hurt as are her knees. She also attends privately for glaucoma appointments in the Beacon.. She is 70 this year.

Both are on contributory pensions. My mam has a small private pension. They have asked me for advice. My view is to cancel my dad's private insurance but to keep my mother's?

 

[snowyb]

amtc,

The following 2 Laya plans would be worth considering as cheaper alternatives;

1. Essential Health 300; price 932pa; all public, private and Beacon hi-tech hospital covered, private excess 300 x 2 max per year per person,
private day case excess 125 per day visit.
Note; No excess is payable for hip or knee replacement surgery in any private hospital on this plan.

2. Simplicity plan; price 1190pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private excess 100 x 2 max per person per year, private
day case excess 50 per day visit. This plan fully covers a private room in a private hospital. Good day to day cover included - the first 100 not
allowed.
Note; no private excess is payable for hip or knee replacement surgery in any private hospital on this plan.

[broken link removed]

The main difference between the above 2 plans, apart from price, is the extra hospital cover with Simplicity plan for Mater Private and Blackrock Clinic. Also the extra cover for a private room in private hospitals, plus the day to day cover. Lower private excess amounts on this plan.
Full cover for hip and knee replacement surgery - no excess applies.

Regarding your father, personally I would not drop health insurance with the way the health service in general is going at the moment with
public waiting lists increasing etc. While I appreciate his current medical complaint is being handled very well in the public hospital, if something
new cropped up, for example, a cataract or if he required other surgery, the waiting lists are 2 - 3 years minimum.
I would reduce cover say to option 1 above which includes public and private hospitals(including Beacon). Its a very handy plan which ticks all
the boxes for all medical eventualities, like a safety net if needed.
This plan would also suit your mother's medical needs, reducing costs without compromising on cover.
Simplicity has all the extras if preferred.

Laya plans suit older peoples medical needs much better as they fully cover hip and knee replacement in private + hi-tech hospitals.
The other providers VHI and Irish Life have a co-payment of 2000 or a 20% shortfall to pay in private hospitals.

Theres no guarantee regarding price if their renewal date is in January 2018.

Snowyb