Health Insurance VHI to scrap Health Plus (Plan B) from 1st May 2024

[arbitron]

Customers urged to shop around as VHI to scrap four popular plans on 1 May

VHI is to scrap a number of its most popular plans in a move that could affect up to 150,000 customers.

Experts have been questioning the value of the comprehensive plans for some time and now they’re urging customers to shop around as they could make savings of as much as €1,000 per adult.

The to-be-discontinued packages include Health Plus Extra (old Plan B Options), Health Plus Access (old Plan B), Health Plus Excess (old Plan B Excess) and also their Health Access scheme.

They will no longer be available from 1 May, but those who have already renewed for another year won’t have theirs cancelled or changed on that date.

VHI’s newer Advanced Care range will serve as alternatives to the scrapped plans.

 

[WizardDr]

Perhaps others will know more here - but the impression I have is older VHI members never changed their subscription either out of fear, ignorance or simply inertia. It appears these policies were among the most expensive and could have been renegotiated even with VHI for almost identical cover at much cheaper premiums.

I don't know the VHI logic unless they are reducing some part of the cover e.g. psychiatric cover of 180 days versus 120 days in alternative. Does anybody know?

This could be very stressful for these older people - and despite work by Dermot Goode from Total Health cover.ie (a Lockton company) he reckons many people could be affected and may need assistance.

 

[odyssey06]

Seems like those who were on that plan for long time have now been given a reason to overcome the inertia, and in many cases leave VHI. Is it a move by VHI to try to shed some older customers? Or am I being too cynical and it is a move in the right direction re: simplification of plans.

 

[Sue Ellen]

I don't know the VHI logic unless they are reducing some part of the cover e.g. psychiatric cover of 180 days versus 120 days in alternative. Does anybody know?

From my observations (and I could be wrong because insured with VHI) it would appear to be more to do with the 100% cover for orthopaedic and ophthalmic procedures which Laya are more inclined to provide at a realistic premium. VHI have been charging the mad money on the policies being discussed at present because they are providing only 80%/60% on lots of their cheaper policies.