Laya Laya renewal

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rtobrien

Registered User
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Hi,

Two adults and three kids (6 and under) are currently with Laya Flex 500 Explore. Laya have dropped Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private from this plan so it no longer suits our needs. It's likely that we will need a day procedure for one son in the Blackrock Clinic within the next year so I am looking for a similarly priced plan that will cover the Blackrock Clinic. For my son who is likely to need a day procedure in the Blackrock Clinic, is it an option for him to go on a different plan with a low excess and keep the rest of us on a plan with a high excess?

Many thanks for any advice.
 
Hi rtobrien,

Welcome to AAM. Just a quick question, when is your renewal date?

You will continue to have Blackrock Clinic cover upto your renewal date, as an existing customer,
even though the hi-tech cover has changed for new customers on this plan.

In reply to your last question, yes, in fact every person can be on a different plan to suit their needs if you want.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Many thanks for replying. My cover expired a few days ago so I am currently in the 14 day cooling off period. I was all set to renew the same policy but didn't realise about the change in cover with regard to the Blackrock Clinic. Laya suggested Control Connect 600 as an alternative plan. Does that sound like a good option? And regarding my son who is likely to need a day procedure in the Blackrock Clinic, is there a similar Control Connect plan that my son could go on with a low excess or maybe something completely different? I really appreciate any advice you can offer. I always find health insurance options a bit of a minefield!
 
rtobrien,

Control 600 Connect is a good option for the two adults, as an alternative to Flex 500 Explore.
There is also the extra cover for a private room in a private hospital included on this plan.

Control 600 Connect; price 852pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, excess 600 per private/hi-tech hospital admission,
excess 175 per day case. Extra cover for a private room in a private hospital included on this plan as standard.
[broken link removed]

For the 3 children, there are very good half price offers with VHI at the moment. Details as follows;
1. VHI One + Plan; price 148 per child; all public,private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, excess 125 per private/hi-tech hospital admission
or day case. No day to day cover on this plan.

2. VHI One Plan Complete; price 169per child; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, no excess on this plan for admissions or day case.
However, as your son's condition seems to be pre-existing, ie already diagnosed - strictly speaking if you take out this plan with no excess,
you could be still charged the 150 excess as per Flex 500 Explore. Pre-existing conditions are subject to a 2 year upgrade waiting time if you
change to plans with better hospital cover or a lower excess. I'm not sure in practise how strictly this rule is applied.

3. Laya Simply Connect; price 275 per child; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, excess 150 x 2 max for admissions or 50 euro
per day case. Again regarding the 2 year waiting for pre-existing illnesses, you could be charged 150 for a day case procedure. However,
there is good day to day cover on this plan, ie 50% refund for consultant visits upto 300 max per year. This may be an option to cover any
specialist consultant visits in relation to your son going to Blackrock Clinic.

[broken link removed]

I would definitely recommend One + Plan for your 2 other children, and options 1,2 or 3 for your sick child.
VHI allow children to be insured on their own without an adult - an adult is named on the policy but just the children are insured.
So, the 2 adults can stay with Laya and switch to Control 600 Connect.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Thank you so much for the detailed response snowyb - that's incredibly helpful! My son has already served the two year waiting period for a pre-existing condition with Laya so if switching to VHI, I take it a waiting period would not apply if changing to the same level of cover? I didn't realise a waiting period would apply for a change in excess too. So if we changed him to a lower excess policy with the same level of cover, the higher excess would be payable for the next to years in any case - is that right?
 
To answer the question, 'if we changed him to a lower excess policy with the same level of cover, the higher excess would be payable for the
next 2 years in any case - is that right?
The excess amount for a day case procedure is 150 euro on Flex 500 Explore, which would apply to Blackrock Clinic also.
The 500 excess would only apply if he stayed overnight or for a longer stay.
So if you changed him to a lower excess policy with the same level of cover, for example Simply Connect, the higher excess of 150 for a day case
would still apply but only because it relates to a pre-existing condition. If a new illness arises on the new plan, the lower excess would apply instead - for both hospital admissions or day case.
There is no waiting time to serve for surgery or treatment itself, as it's switching like for like cover. The waiting time only refers to the lower excess.
Strictly speaking, there is a 2 year upgrade waiting time relating to the excess amount, but its a grey area at times.
Sometimes its not applied as strictly as others, it depends on the hospital.

Another option worth considering is Laya Control 150 Secure; price 334 pa. This plan has very good day to day cover, refund of 100 per
consultant visit which may be useful overall to balance the cost. The day case excess is 75 on this plan but the max would be 150 relating to
Flex 500 Explore. There is no waiting time applied to extra day to day cover, cover applies straight away.
[broken link removed]

Snowyb
 
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The Laya 600 Connect costs about €100 per annum more than the Flex 500 Explore policy. Excess is €100 higher with the Connect 600 plan.

However am I correct in saying that you get better hospital cover such as a private room in a public hospital? But are there private rooms available in public hospitals?

The Flex plans have dropped cover in the Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private. Is it still available under the Laya 600 connect plan?
 
The Laya 600 Connect fully covers a private room in a public and private hospital.
It also covers semi-private in both hospital types - note; a private room in never guaranteed but the extra option is covered if available.

This plan also covers Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private whereas cover for these hospitals is restricted to just cardiac and orthopaedic on
Flex 500 Explore.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Thanks snowyb. If I opt to move to a plan with a higher excess. Say Flex 375 to Flex 500 and then a few years later I want to move back to the Flex 375 from the Flex 500, do I have a waiting period before I can claim?
 
No, there's no waiting time to serve for surgery, it's just that you will pay 500 excess if you are admitted for surgery or treatment only
in a private hospital.

If you switch back to Flex 375 and you're admitted to a private hospital, if its for a pre-existing illness, then the 500 excess would apply for
a period of 2 years. This waiting time just relates to the 'excess amount', it is not a waiting time for surgery.
There is no waiting time to serve for any surgery.

If you are admitted to a private hospital with a new illness, then the 375 excess would apply straight away.
The excess of 375 or 500 is only payable on admittance to a private hospital. It is not payable in any public hospital.

If you have no pre-existing illnesses, then the lower excess 375 would apply straight away if admitted to a private hospital.


Snowyb
 
Thanks snowyb. Two years ago I went with your recommendation for the Laya Flex 250. Last year I went with the Laya Flex 375. Are these two products still the best out there for hospital cover or have any new plans come online? I am thinking of moving this year to the Laya Flex 500.
 
Two alternative plans worth considering are as follows;

1. Laya Control 600 Connect; price 852pa. All public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Excess 600 per private admission.

2. Laya Essential Health 300; price 932pa. All public and private + Beacon hospital covered. Excess 300 per private admission.

Option 1 includes hi-tech hospital cover if this is extra option matters to you.
Option 2 has a lower private excess 300 per private admission.

The Flex 500 or 375 Explore range is good value if the excess amount suits.
I'm not sure what your renewal date is, if its November, there may be new plans or prices which will be updated on the Health Insurance
Authority website by next week.

[broken link removed]

Snowyb
 
Thanks snowyb. Yes, my renewal is November 1st. My only concern is that my renewal quote is coming in at €60 more expensive than if I was a new customer applying for an identical plan. I am with Flex 375.
This gives me two choices. Start the annual procedure of ringing Laya and asking for the same terms or just switching to one of the alternative policies that you mentioned above.
 
snowyb said:
This plan also covers Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private
Click to expand...

This is a bit confusing. In the comparison link it doesn't actually state this.

Under the Laya 500 Flex I don't think that the Blackrock Clinic or the Mater private is covered for a semi private room.

Under the Laya Control 600 connect is the Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private covered for a semi private room?
 
Bronco Lane,

Under Flex 500 Explore, the only surgery covered on this plan is 'cardiac' and 'orthopaedic - hip and knee replacement surgery.
These types of surgery are covered for a semi-private (shared) room in the Mater Private and a single occupancy private room in the
Blackrock Clinic. Note; there are no shared semi-private wards in Blackrock Clinic - all rooms are single occupancy as standard.

Under Control 600 Connect, all types of surgery are included on this plan. Cardiac and orthopaedic(hip and knee replacement) surgery are fully
covered - no excess or shortfall applies to these type of surgery. For all other surgeries, the 600 excess would apply per admission, also there is
a shortfall of 200 per night. Day case procedures are covered in both hospitals with an excess of 175 per day visit.
As before, cover in Mater Private is for a semi-private(shared) room, while cover in Blackrock Clinic is for a single occupancy private room as
standard.
Note; the shortfall of 200 per night is a grey area when it comes to these 2 hospitals. There is a waiver system in place whereby the hospitals
don't charge the shortfall for a range of surgeries. While the excess would be payable, the nightly shortfall may be waived.

I have personal experience of this whereby a relative was 1 month in a hi-tech hospital and the nightly shortfall was not charged.

For unlimited access to these 2 hospitals, plans start at 3300pa.

Snowyb
 
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