Irish Life Health Irish life best smart

Shelby219

Registered User
Messages
105
Hi myself and wife are on Irish life best smart,we are in our late 50s is this a good value plan for the benefits we are covered for, ?
 
Hi Shelby219,

An alternative similar Irish Life plan is '4D Health 2 @ price 1277pa. There is also free travel insurance with this plan.

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


As regards the value of these plans, the only negative attached, is a 2000 co payment for orthopaedic surgery ie hip or knee replacement surgery.
Laya plans have full cover for this type of surgery in private or hi-tech hospitals.
The following 3 Laya plans are worth considering.
1. Simply Connect ; price 1132pa.
2. Simply Connect Plus; price 1286pa.
3. Simplicity plan; price 1267pa.

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

Regards, Snowyb
 
snowyb,
I too am with Best Smart ILH but have discovered recently that cardiac procedures in Out patient private hospitals in Galway are not fully covered. Unless the procedures are performed in the consultant's own rooms and not in the Hospital setting they have introduced a very sneaky "at the hospitals discretion a technical fee MAY be charged". When I checked at my consultation with my consultant I was told I WAS covered for the following procedures (except for an excess in both cases of €50 which I accepted) Aorta Ultra Sound and Cardiac Echo Ultrasound. However when checking in at the hospital for my treatments I'm told that my Aorta Ultra Sound has a Technichal fee of €240 and the Cardiac Echo Ultrasound also has a technichal fee of €150. Needless to say we were not amused and despite a respectable argument about this the money was handed over. I can claim 50% back in what my insurance says is as part of radiography cover.
Just wondering when my insurance comes up for renewal in February are there health ins companies out there who cover these procedures as we were pretty certain we had full cover apart from the €50 excess?. My wife and I are in our late 60's, fit and generally in good health but there cardiac problems in both our families and we have these tests every few years and will be continuing doing so.
Speaking to other patients in the hospital it seems these Technichal fees are sneaking in on a lot of other procedures as well apart from Cardiac. Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give.
 
noproblem,

As far as I know, ultrasound scans are classed as 'radiology' and not a day case outpatient claim for a partial refund according to the cover on your plan. This is 50% in your case.
There are no plans that fully cover cardiac ultrasound scans except for 4083 euro Laya CompanyCare Advanced.

The following 3 plans are worth considering, look under Radiology - Consultant fees and Radiology Test fees.
1. Irish Life Better Ultra; price 1375pa; this plan is very similar to Best Smart plan at a cheaper price. 50% refund for radiology.

2. Laya Prime Plan; price 1425pa; all public, private (including private room fully covered) and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private excess 50 per
admission or day case procedure. Good day to day cover, 1 euro excess, consultant refund 125 per visit, gp 40 per visit. Good radiology cover,
refund of 80 per radiology consultant fee, 100 per radiology test fee.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/#/plan-comparison?plansAndProfiles=W3siaWQiOjEsImFnZSI6MjYsIm1pbk1heFByaWNlIjpbMCwxNDUzLjVdLCJtaW5NYXhFeGNlc3MiOlswLDYwMF0sInBsYW5UeXBlIjoxLCJwbGFuc1NlbGVjdGVkIjpbOTM4LDEyNjgsMTQyM10sInBsYW5zIjp7ImRhdGEiOltdLCJsb2FkaW5nIjp0cnVlfSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZERhdGEiOltdLCJhcHBsaWNhdGlvbiI6eyJ0b2dnbGVfc2Nyb2xsTG9jayI6ZmFsc2UsInBsYW5fZGV0YWlsX2lkIjotMX19XQ==

The following plans include 2 plans with 75% refund for radiology test fees and 70 or 100 refund for radiology consultants fee.
The third plan CompanyCare Advanced, price 4083pa, fully covers radiology test fees 100% refund and 150 refund for radiology consultant fees.
I included this third plan just for comparison purposes, to show how expensive it is for full radiology cover.
https://www.hia.ie/comparison-tool/#/plan-comparison?plansAndProfiles=W3siaWQiOjEsImFnZSI6MjYsIm1pbk1heFByaWNlIjpbMCw0MDgzLjA0XSwibWluTWF4RXhjZXNzIjpbMCw2MDBdLCJwbGFuVHlwZSI6MSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZCI6Wzc2NSwxMjYyLDEyNzYsMTQyM10sInBsYW5zIjp7ImRhdGEiOltdLCJsb2FkaW5nIjp0cnVlfSwicGxhbnNTZWxlY3RlZERhdGEiOltdLCJhcHBsaWNhdGlvbiI6eyJ0b2dnbGVfc2Nyb2xsTG9jayI6ZmFsc2UsInBsYW5fZGV0YWlsX2lkIjotMX19XQ==

Regards, Snowyb
 
Thank you very much for the trouble you went to. Going to have a good look at those now.
 
Hi, just received Irish life renewal, last year
2 X adults Best Smart 1215e each last year ,... renewal 1407e each
Adult children working in family business
Net more 500 ILH
(31yr) 894e .......renewal (32yr) 960e
(27yr) 894e........ renewal (28yr) 960e
(25 yr) 743e........ renewal (26yr) 902e
(21yr) 482e......... renewal (22yr) 603e
Last year total 5443
This year total 6239
Above figure includes group discount and tax relief
Many thanks in advance of suggestions
 
Shelby219,

Vhi are best value for young adults, the following VHI plan is worth considering as an alternative option, details as follows;

1. VHI One Plan 500; price 759pa ( price reduce for age 22, 25) all public and private hospitals covered, private excess capped at 500 x 2 per year
for all admissions, day case excess 150 per procedure. Limited day to day cover.

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

The previous list of plans will go out of date, price wise from 1st January 2019. some already are out of date since 1 December 2019.
The following plan with VHI is worth considering.
1. VHI PMI 07 10; price 1240pa; all public, private and 3 hi-tech hospitals covered, private excess capped at 150 x 1 per year for all admissions.
Good day to day cover included, 50% refund per gp visit etc.

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

I'm not sure when your renewal date occurs, if its January 2020, VHI are better value as they had very little price changes. Irish Life plans will
increase, some substantially from January 2020.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Hi Snowyb,
My renewal is January 29th My current plan Best Smart Irish Life Health will be €2,814 for my husband and myself - aged 66 years. Thanks to your answer to my question above on 25th November, I now realise most plans give 50% off radiology vascular scans and cardiac echo BUT they are recouped via outpatient excess and this is what is swaying me, but I need guidance as to whether I am blinded by this. Best Smart has €125 excess for each of us, before I can recoup any money and 4D Health 2 (costing €2,630 for us both) has only €1 excess. I'm thinking of switching to this, but wondering if I'm making a blunder. Semi-private room in a private hospital is fine with us.
I know the in patient excess is €50 more and day case procedures are €25 more. Also Consultant fees and GP visits are 50% instead of €75 and €25 per visit respectively. Cardiac screening or cover for future cardiac problems are important to me.
WHEN we have a problem, the doctor sends us to a consultant, who then orders radiology tests and this seems to be where I lose the value with the more expensive Best Smart plan. For example: Echo Cardiac I had to pay €150 and Vascular scan €240. This meant 50% is €195 less excess of €125 only gives me €70 back BUT 4D Health 2 would give me €194 back.
Am I missing something more important in my insurance?
Which would you choose in my case?
Thanks in advance for all the help you give all of us.
 
tiarnalamh,

Yes, your understanding is correct. 4D Health 2 is a good option, its a corporate plan so its competitive on price.

Regards, Snowyb
 
Back
Top