Health Insurance Alternative to current insurance policy

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Lara

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I (40) am on VHI Company plan extra level 2 that I use it quiet a bit and we have 2 children both of whom are on the same plan. The baby by default and a 3 year old.

I’m due to renew next month and having both children on this plan seems a bit excessive and costly.

The 3 year old has a cardiac condition and dermatology issues. She is stable and well at the moment and is just screened yearly- imaging and consultant review. She has had one cardiac surgery and may need another but probably not until she is a teenager.

It is possible that the baby may have a similar issue -she is due to be investigated soon for this (genetic testing and imaging).
Is there an alternative VHI policy that would cover them well and might work out a bit cheaper?

Also, is there a policy that is similar to mine that I would get better value from? I mainly use it for consultant visits and occasional surgery/radiology investigation? One thing we do pay out for every month is the full prescription cost for drugs €144. Do any policies cover this?

My husband is covered through work with Irish Life with Be Fit 3.

Thanks!
 
Hi Lara,

The following 2 plans are cheaper alternative options with VHI worth considering;
1. VHI PMI 38 14; price 1679pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. no excess for admissions or day case in private or hi-tech
hospitals. Very good day to day cover on this plan, refund of 130 per consultant visit, 75% refund per gp visit, etc. Private room in a private hospital
covered with a 50 euro excess per night.

2. VHI PMI 24 10; price 1698pa; all public, private (including private room fully covered), and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. there is an excess
of 150 to pay per admission to a private or hi-tech hospital, day case excess is 75 per day case procedure. Very good day to day cover included,
75% refund for consultant visits, gp visits etc. No excess to pay in any public hospital.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/#/plan-comparison?plansAndProfiles=W3siaWQiOjEsImFnZSI6MjYsIm1pbk1heFByaWNlIjpbMCw2NTAwXSwibWluTWF4RXhjZXNzIjpbMCw2MDBdLCJwbGFuVHlwZSI6MSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZCI6WzE5MDMsMTk0OCwxODM4XSwicGxhbnMiOnsiZGF0YSI6W10sImxvYWRpbmciOnRydWV9LCJwbGFuc1NlbGVjdGVkRGF0YSI6W10sImFwcGxpY2F0aW9uIjp7InBsYW5fZGV0YWlsX2lkIjotMX19XQ==

Child Options
The following 3 VHI plans are good alternatives for the children, details as follows;

1. VHI Company Plan Plus Level 1.3; price 313pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Private hospital excess 150 per admission
to a private or hi-tech hospital, day case excess 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital, all childrens hospitals are public,
Good day to day cover included, refund of 50% per consultant visit, gp visits, etc.

2. VHI PMI 07 10; price 323pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Private hospital excess is capped at 150 x 1 max per year
for all admissions regardless of how many in a year. day case excess 50 per procedure. No excess to pay in any public hospital, all childrens
hospitals are public, Good day to day cover included, refund of 50% per consultant visit, gp visits, etc.

3. VHI PMI 24 10; price 371pa; all public, private(including private room fully covered), and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered; private excess 150 per
admission to a private or hi-tech hospital, day case excess 75 per procedure. Very good day to day cover included, refund of 75% for gp visits,
consultant visits, etc.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...vY2siOmZhbHNlLCJwbGFuX2RldGFpbF9pZCI6LTF9fV0=


Irish Life Options
As your husband is already insured with Irish Life fully covered through his job, sometimes there is also a discount for a spouse and children.
Even if a discount is not available, the following 2 plans are worth considering for yourself and 1 plan for the children with Irish Life.

Lara's Options
1. Irish Life 4D Health 4 plan; price 1586pa; all public, private (including private room fully covered) and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. Inpatient excess
is 50 per admission and 50 per day case procedure in a private or hi-tech hospital. No excess to pay in any public hospital. Very good day to day cover
included, refund of 75% for consultant visits, gp visits, etc. There is a refund of 15 x 5 per year for prescriptions which is not available on VHI plans.

2. Irish Life 4D Health 5 plan; price 1763pa; all public, private( including private room fully covered) and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered. No excess for
a semi-private room in a private/hi-tech hospital, no day case excess, excess of 50 per admission for a private room, excess of 75 for hi-tech
admissions. Very good day to day cover included, refund of 75% for consultant visits, gp visits, etc. Refund of 20 x 5 for prescription costs.

Child Option
3. Irish Life Best Ultimate Active plan; price 384pa; all public, private ( including private room fully covered) and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered.
No excess for admission to a semi-private room in a private/hi-tech hospital, no day case excess, excess of 50 per admission to a private room
in a private hospital and 50 excess for some hi-tech admissions. Very good day to day cover included, refund of 75% for consultant visits, gp visits,
etc. including a refund of 20 x 6 for prescription costs per child per year.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/...jayI6ZmFsc2UsInBsYW5fZGV0YWlsX2lkIjotMX19XQ==

Note; There is a small refund of 25 per year for prescription costs included on your husbands plan Be Fit 3.
Also, you can submit a claim to Revenue on a Med 1 form for prescription costs for the whole family every year. The refund is capped at 20%
per year. You can go back over 4 years if you have not claimed before.

There are plenty of cheaper alternatives to consider, without losing cover and some with better cover.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Thanks very much Snowyb, since I wrote I found out that we can get a discount on my husbands policy of 25% through his work but we have to go with Be Fit 3. I’m still not sure if this is a good policy even with the discount. Some of the other plans that you suggested seem better.
Can you tell me what the certain other orthopaedic procedure are that they say are excluded?
 
Lara,

Be Fit 3 is a really good plan that fully covers a private room in a private hospital.
Also, it fully covers the first 2 consultant visits and the first 2 gp visits per person per year which is a huge plus, even though the cost of
the plan is a bit more expensive. The 25% discount makes it a bit more attractive for yourself anyway.

The orthopaedic procedures referred to, are hip and knee replacement surgery which usually happens to older age groups 60+ or 70+,
so they would not affect you at this stage. This surgery is fully covered in Blackrock Clinic on this plan anyway so its not a problem.

Be FIt 3 is a better plan than VHI Company Plan Extra Level 2 so its a no brainer for you.

Regarding the children, it will fully cover the consultant visits and has very good hospital cover including a private room in a private hospital.
If you don't want to use Be Fit 3, the alternative way is you can choose any VHI plan for the children.
VHI are the only provider who allow children to be insured on their own without an adult on the policy.

Regards, Snowyb
 
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