Health Insurance Alternative to Irish Life Health Plan 16.1

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BeeLazy

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We have been on the Irish Life Health Plan 16.1 for the last 2 years as there was no significant premium increase. However this year it has been increased to €1500p.a. There are 3 adults aged 70, 68 and 40. The 40yr old has had back and pelvic operations so continued cover is needed. The 70yr old is diabetic and the 68 year old has no known ailments. I am prepared to pay about €1100 to €1200p.a but no more than that. The 16.1 has good day-to-day expenses with just a €1 excess. (says she who never seems to get around to claiming back anything!) I have been looking at all the policies suggested in other threads but its the High Tech, Beacon, Blackrock and Mater Private in Dublin which seem to have very little cover on the lower priced policies. I realise Laya are very good with orthopaedic cover so perhaps one of their policies would be best. Should we all have the one policy? I would be grateful for any input to help in making a decision on which way to go.

Many thanks

Bee
 
The following Laya plan is worth considering, details as follows;

1. Laya Simply Connect; price 1265pa(price from 1 April); all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered; private/hi-tech excess capped at
150 x 2 max per year for all admissions. Day case excess 50 per procedure. Good day to day cover included, refund of 50% for gp visits,
consultants, dental, physio etc. upto a max refund of 500 per year. ( 50% of 1000 = 500).

The following Irish Life plan may be an alternative option to Health Plan 16.1 for the 40 year old if a bigger day to day allowance is required.

2. Irish Life 4D Health 2; price 1315pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered; private/hi-tech excess 150 per admission, day case
excess 75 per procedure. Good day to day cover included, 1 euro excess, refund of 50% for gp, consultants, etc upto a max refund of 4000.

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

Regards, Snowyb
 
Many thanks Snowyb for your invaluable help in wading through the minefield of health insurance plans. One thing and pardon my ignorance but what is a high tech hospital? Are there just the 3 i.e Beacon, Mater Private Dublin and Blackrock Clinic? Are there specific illnesses or procedures that they offer above any other public or private hospital that make it important to include them in your health insurance plan?

Many thanks

Bee
 
BeeLazy,

You're correct, the 3 hi-tech hospitals are all based in Dublin and are Beacon, Mater Private and Blackrock Clinic.
They are classed as hi-tech because they would have the latest scanning equipment and the latest methods of surgery available.
The Beacon hospital is covered on most plans including the lower priced plans.

The following links show hi-tech in practise, and the Blackrock Clinic is the only hospital with single private rooms throughout the hospital.
There are no shared wards in this hospital, I'm sure its a huge advantage now with the Corona Virus etc.

https://www.blackrock-clinic.ie/about-blackrock-clinic/developments-2014/

https://www.materprivate.ie/dublin/centre-services/all-services/robotic-surgery/index.xml

https://www.beaconhospital.ie/our-services/radiology/

The following 3 plans are cheaper options which cover Beacon hospital. Laya Inspire plan also covers the 3 hi-tech hospitals.
Details as follows;
1. Irish Life Benefit plan; price 965pa; all public, private and Beacon hospital covered, private excess capped at 200 x 2 max per year for all
private admissions. Day case excess 125 per procedure. There is a 2000 co-payment for hip or knee replacement surgery in private hospitals.

2. Laya Essential Health 300; price 996pa; all public, private and Beacon hospital covered, Cardiac cover in 3 hi-tech hospitals. Private excess
capped at 300 x 2 max per year for all private admissions. Day case excess 125 per procedure. There is full cover for hip and knee replacement
surgery in private hospitals on this plan.

3. Laya Inspire plan; price 1165pa(price from 1 April) all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private/hi-tech excess 150 per admission, day case excess 50 per procedure. NOTE; there is a 500 nightly shortfall for Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private which is too expensive.
But Blackrock Clinic don't pass this shortfall charge onto the patient. So there is full cover for Blackrock Clinic and Beacon hi-tech hospitals.
If Mater Private is important, this is not a suitable plan. Good day to day cover included, refund of 50% for gp visits, consultants, etc
upto a max refund of 1000 per year.
Note; there is a 20% shortfall for hip and knee replacement surgery on this plan, except Blackrock Clinic where this surgery is fully covered.

https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/#/plan-comparison?plansAndProfiles=W3siaWQiOjEsImFnZSI6MjYsIm1pbk1heFByaWNlIjpbMCw2NTAwXSwibWluTWF4RXhjZXNzIjpbMCw2MDBdLCJwbGFuVHlwZSI6MSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZCI6WzE2NjIsMTU1MywxNTQ0LDE3NTldLCJwbGFucyI6eyJkYXRhIjpbXSwibG9hZGluZyI6dHJ1ZX0sInBsYW5zU2VsZWN0ZWREYXRhIjpbXSwiYXBwbGljYXRpb24iOnsidG9nZ2xlX3Njcm9sbExvY2siOmZhbHNlLCJwbGFuX2RldGFpbF9pZCI6LTF9fV0=

Regards, Snowyb
 
Last edited:
Thanks Snowyb for the clarification. After comparing and contrasting between all the options, which is no small task, I have decided that a change of Health Insurance Provider to Laya and their Simply Connect Policy is the best option. It seems to cover everything we might require. So I am sorted for one more year. It is very unusual for Laya not to include their usual full cover for hip and knee replacement on their Inspire Policy. Again many thanks for your help.

Regards

Bee
 
BeeLazy said:
We have been on the Irish Life Health Plan 16.1 for the last 2 years as there was no significant premium increase. However this year it has been increased to €1500p.a. There are 3 adults aged 70, 68 and 40. The 40yr old has had back and pelvic operations so continued cover is needed. The 70yr old is diabetic and the 68 year old has no known ailments. I am prepared to pay about €1100 to €1200p.a but no more than that. The 16.1 has good day-to-day expenses with just a €1 excess. (says she who never seems to get around to claiming back anything!) I have been looking at all the policies suggested in other threads but its the High Tech, Beacon, Blackrock and Mater Private in Dublin which seem to have very little cover on the lower priced policies. I realise Laya are very good with orthopaedic cover so perhaps one of their policies would be best. Should we all have the one policy? I would be grateful for any input to help in making a decision on which way to go.

Many thanks

Bee
Click to expand...

Hi Bee I recently received my renewal which was 1590 per adult per year. We are a family of 4 working out at 50 euro extra a month. I am having correspondence with the complaints department over the last couple of weeks which have given me ludicrous reasons for increase. Started with inflation of medical procedures, which there has been none in the last 3 months. When I quizzed him on this he rang me back the following day stating as there were no medical procedures completed during the last 3 months they have increase the price as they will have to be completed from August. It's clear to me the increase is a result of being forced to give back rebates. He assured me it wasn't because the renewal price before the first of march was actually nearly 200 more expensive per adult per year. Now that I see your renewal was cheaper backs up my argument. They should not be able to get away with this.
 
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