Hello Mary Tuohy,
Welcome back to Ireland and also to AAM.
First of all, as a recently returned emigrant to Ireland, you have 9 months to choose a health insurance plan, to avoid any loadings in the future.
The 9 months starts from the date you returned.
As you already stated, hospital care for your pre-existing conditions will be covered under health insurance after 5 years.
So any new conditions will be covered after the 6 months new customer waiting, which applies when you take out health insurance for the first time. Accident and injuries are covered in this initial 6 months.
On a positive note, Laya Healthcare have no age related waiting times for plans that include day to day medical expenses cover, for example part refunds for gp visits, consultant visits, dental, physio etc. This section of cover is allowed straight away, so for that reason I would recommend this company.
There are 3 types of hospital in Ireland as follows;
1. Public Hospitals ; Mater Public hospital, Beaumont, St James, St Vincents Public, and so on. These hospitals are also centres of excellence for different conditions. They also have Accident and Emergency departments. They are accessible by the general public without health insurance, either on gp referral - no a + e charge applies or self referral 100 euro a+e charge applies. If a person has no health insurance or no medical card, there is
a 75 euro charge per night, if admitted for overnight stay, max per year 75 x 10 = 750, regardless of the length of stay over 10 nights.
2. Private hospitals; Examples Bons Secours, Hermitage Lucan, St Vincents Private Elm Park, and others.
These hospitals are mainly for elective surgery and treatment, on gp referral to consultant. Health insurance plans including private hospital cover
are necessary to cover surgery costs, otherwise surgery costs must be settled in advance.
3. Hi-tech hospitals; Examples Mater Private, Blackrock Clinic and Beacon Hospital.
Likewise, these hospitals are for elective surgery, on gp referral to consultant. Higher level plans are required to fully cover these hospitals.
But there are lower cost plans that also include hi-tech hospital cover, with a shortfall payable if you choose. These hospitals also have private
a+e departments.
The following plan with Laya Healthcare covers 3 levels of hospital above, plus good day to day cover which is covered straight away.
Details as follows;
'Laya Control 300 Create; price 1039pa; public, private and hi-tech hospitals covered, 300 excess payable on admission to private or hi-tech hospital,
day case excess 125 private/hi-tech. No excess applies to any public hospital. Good day to day cover, 30 refund per gp visit, 80 per consultant visit, etc.
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This is a good starting point, cheaper plans would have less or no day to day cover. More expensive plans would be no benefit to you, due to
the 5 year waiting time.
Regards, Snowyb