Hi jkelly,
Welcome to AAM. First of all, the 2 VHI plans One Plan and Company Plan Plus Level 1 do not fully cover a private room in a private hospital.
They cover upto the semi-private rate which means there would be a shortfall 'per night' of 200-300 euro, depending on the hospital.
The only plan with VHI covering a private room in a private hospital is Healthplus Choice(old Plan C), price 2879, which is way over the top pricewise.
VHI Alternative
The nearest alternative plan with VHI is 'Company Plan Extra Select' price 1278pa. Regarding cover for a private room in a private hospital, on this
plan there is a shortfall per night of 50 euro.
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Glohealth Alternative
A good alternative with Glohealth, with full cover for a private room in a private hospital, just a once off excess on admission for surgery 250,
is called 'Glohealth Better Active Plan' price 1165pa. This plan also includes hi-tech hospital cover for all 3 hi-tech hospitals.
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Laya Alternative
A good alternative with Laya Healthcare is called 'Simplicity Plan' price 1087pa.
This plan fully covers a private room in a private hospital, with a once off excess 100 x 2 max per year, regardless of the number of admissions per year.
Just to explain briefly about scan cover, if you choose a non-direct payment centre, there is a 50% refund for radiologists fees and 50% refund for
Radiology diagnostic technical fees through the end of year day to day claim.
There is good day to day cover on this plan, the first 100 not allowed.
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Irish Life Alternative
Select More plan is a good option at the price 950pa, which would suit your age and stage of life.
Just to point out, if you drop the extra hi-tech hospital cover to choose this plan, if at a later stage you choose a plan including this cover again -
there will be a 2 year waiting time only in respect of any pre-existing conditions.
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Regarding hi-tech hospital cover on mid-level plans, cardiac and orthopaedic surgery is covered. There is also a list of special procedures
also covered. Glohealth publish a list of these procedures.
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Also in the Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private, there is a waiver system whereby they fully cover many surgeries and procedures.
This includes plans with 45%+ hi-tech hospital cover with all 4 providers.
More information on the following links;
http://www.blackrock-clinic.ie/about-blackrock-clinic/freephone-enquiry-line/
http://www.materprivate.ie/dublin/patients-visitors/billing-insurance/
They are both helpful with enquiries about this. The above information is not shown or explained anywhere else.
So, its a valuable extra to have included on a plan as an alternative option.
Also, while this will cover a semi-private bed in Mater Private, the Blackrock Clinic don't have any shared wards, all single private rooms as
standard, which would be covered.
So, there are a few alternative options worth considering, with some savings to be achieved.
Regards, Snowyb