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Is it worth getting Health Insurance?

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13

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    #62
    guile4582
    Registered Users Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭guile4582


    ps It won't give you a case by case breakdown of diseases/injuries etc a bed is a bed. you are covered as an inpatient


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    #63
    guile4582
    Registered Users Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭guile4582


    muloc wrote: »
    but is that a basic plan you have for that cover or one of the more expensive ones?

    it's a BIK through work costings below

    Higher tax band -earn > 32k per annum -> cost will be €58 each month, taken as tax

    Lower tax band - you pay an extra €32 in tax

    if it wasnt a BIK that plan would cost €110 per month as a DD regardless of tax situation


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    #64
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    Health insurance allows you to get immediate treatment as opposed to waiting. My Gp referred me for asthma into the public system after I was in A and E with breathing difficulties and was released with no diagnosis or prescription just advice to see the GP and get him to refer me to the clinic. (As an aside this was fascinating as I had been jumped through triage into rescusitation so to be released after 6hrs without any future planning was mad!). It took 10 months for initial breathing tests and another 6 months after that to get called to clinic. Now that I'm in the system they are excellent.

    In the meantime I saw a consultant on my HI and was immediately hospitalised for a week. Every possible test was run and I was diagnosed with asthma exacerbated by rhinitis. IV Steroid and nebulisers got it properly under control in hospital and I was released on medication with all info sent to my GP. I continued to see the private consultant until I got into the public system.

    Without the health insurance I would have had major difficulties as A and E had stabilised me and just sent me home with no diagnosis. Given how bad I continued to be I would have ended up back in with them multiple times while waiting to be called to clinic. It's the pefect example of where health insurance is brilliant because Asthma can be stabilised sufficiently to be released from A and E but without treating the underlying issues and learning to manage the condition it would have continued to seriously affect my life and work

    I won't be without health insurance now.

    Oh and I also got 25% off my laser eye surgery a few years back which saved me like two years of premiums :)


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    #65
    Heisenberg1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,511 ✭✭✭Heisenberg1


    Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »
    I've been paying my own health insurance for the last 10 years, and I dont regret a single cent spent on it. and on balance I reckon I've saved more money than I would have spent initially. There was also an option of including travel insurance or other options to the cover.

    the policy I got was great for the whole family - the two kids were covered for free until they were 3 years old, both had different illnesses ranging from reflux, to a severe bout of croup. in both cases they were admitted to a private hospital, and sorted immediately. In said hospital, an xray was done, and the results were with the doctor before we had made the journey from the xray room to the ward.

    I also had a few issues that whilst not an apparent health risk - I got checked out all the same - full cardio screening etc.

    Can ask what hospital was used for your kids as I was of the understanding that there was no private children's hospitals in the state and its not worth covering kids with health insurance.


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    #66
    Heisenberg1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,511 ✭✭✭Heisenberg1


    daheff wrote: »
    The bit that I dont get is that we already pay taxes for the health service. Paying for Health insurance is crazy because of this (and yes i do have health insurance). We are paying twice for the same service...the second payment to just skip the queue (which is full of poor people).

    This LCR is just a way to prop up the insurance companies because they've only realised that young (mainly healthy) people see that they dont really need health insurance so dont take it out. The recession has exacerbated this issue for them. Young people stopped taking insurance because they generally didnt require it, or because they've emigrated.

    LCR loading is being used to frighten people into taking out insurance. "If you dont take it out now you'll pay more in the future". As the loading starts at an arbitrary (from what I can see) age of 34, I'd imagine that should somebody challenge it in court on the basis of age discrimination, that it would be beaten. But that would then just mean that Insurance cos would have to charge a higher rate for older people based on useage/or reject older applicants.

    And to confuse matters more, successive governments have told us that they are trying to implement free healthcare for all...which would make health insurance worthless (imho).

    Personally I would think everybody should pay a flat fee tax every year and that should pay for the health service. A lot of money that is paid to health insurance companies 'leaks' out of the health system in profits for insurance cos, admin salaries & other expenses. Surely its better to have people pay this money directly into the health system?

    That's exactly how I see this LCR I am currently in the no HI camp but I will have it in place before the LCR kicks in. I pay PRSI and I get nothing for it with that money at my disposal I could cover my family with a good HI plan but now I must pay both HI and PRSI typical of this country.


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    #67
    jlm29
    Registered Users Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭jlm29


    Heisenberg1 wrote: »
    Can ask what hospital was used for your kids as I was of the understanding that there was no private children's hospitals in the state and its not worth covering kids with health insurance.

    I think the bons in cork has a paeds ward- so a lot of the other ones might have too.


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    #68
    BarneyMc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭BarneyMc


    My wife is 35 and has no health insurance. If she took out a €400 plan before the deadline just to get into the systems and avoid the levy and decided to upgrade to a €1,000 plan the next year and thereafter then she is in effect saving the 2% levy on the €1,000 plan every year which is just €20 a year. It would take 20 years to make up the €400 she spent on the first year to get into the system. Am I right in my calculations? I'm ignoring the fact that she'll also be getting cover for that first year although it would be limited.


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    #69
    DigitalGhost
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭DigitalGhost


    I know it's a bit of a sucker punch having an extra few hundred disappear from your account each month, but it's not really about whether you 'should' have to pay for it, you just do. And it's really not that expensive compared to the likes of the US. Sure, you could put it away yourself each month in a 'safety' fund, but what if down the line you require immediate specialised surgery? That would set you back thousands of euro, which you may not have. What then? That's the point of insurance, you're taking a risk with an investment and you may not get it back, but it's an investment in your health and having it is better than the alternative.


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    #70
    shedweller
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭shedweller


    Tar.Aldarion wrote: »
    All the best and brightest would not be in the public system then. This way everybody gets the best available people. It's already a problem some places that are not attractive to live, doctors don't want to go there. This would make that worse?

    It would lead to the best machines and facilities for thos paying as well, there would be a two tier care system that would benefit the richer folks.
    I spent some time in NZ and their healthcare system is excellent (and is a very desirable destination!). No need for private healthcare because the public one works very well. Everybody pays into it a little and it just works. I works so well that our very own Mary Hearney went there a few years ago to have a look at it. But it didnt get rolled out here for some reason. Now why would our government not copy a healthcare system that already works?
    Cronyism?
    Pride?

    And can somebody explain how health insurance allows me to get instant treatment? If i didnt have health insurance, what exact thing is preventing me from going into a hospital and getting the same treatment at the same time ( that i have paid very dearly for with my wage deductions!)
    It works elsewhere as i have shown above.


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    #71
    DigitalGhost
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭DigitalGhost


    shedweller wrote: »
    I spent some time in NZ and their healthcare system is excellent (and is a very desirable destination!). No need for private healthcare because the public one works very well. Everybody pays into it a little and it just works. I works so well that our very own Mary Hearney went there a few years ago to have a look at it. But it didnt get rolled out here for some reason. Now why would our government not copy a healthcare system that already works?
    Cronyism?
    Pride?

    And can somebody explain how health insurance allows me to get instant treatment? If i didnt have health insurance, what exact thing is preventing me from going into a hospital and getting the same treatment at the same time ( that i have paid very dearly for with my wage deductions!)
    It works elsewhere as i have shown above.

    Well, it depends. Say for example, you were constant pain and needed to see a specialist to determine cause and treatment. A referral from your GP would take at least 12 weeks and if you went to A&E you'd have a 10 hour wait ahead of you just to see a medical doctor - who would then most likely send you home with a referral for a specialist. If you go private, you can see the specialist within days of being referred and any surgery you need can be scheduled much sooner. Any relatively major surgery is covered by your health insurance upfront in most cases - which immediately takes away the worry of finding a spare 20k+ if you need it. Also your stay will just be more comfortable in general and, when you're ill, that's more important than you think.


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    #72
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


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    #73
    DigitalGhost
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭DigitalGhost


    Patww79 wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    I was talked into getting health insurance last year and if I hadn't got it, I'd be faced with huge medical bills that would bankrupt anyone without insurance. My partner also became seriously ill last year and would be in an even worse situation without it. I get where you're coming from and I was completely anti-anything extra coming out of my bank account previously, but now I'm just really thankful that I wised up and had my ass covered 'just in case'. Because 'just in case' went and bloomin well happened.


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    #74
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Patww79 wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.
    Honestly if you had any serious illness this amount of money wouldnt touch what it would actually cost for private treatment.

    One of my parents was unlucky enough to be hospitalised last year for a week and the bill came to over €12000. Your savings wouldnt last long with those sorts of costs.


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    #75
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


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    #76
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


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    #77
    shedweller
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭shedweller


    DigitalGhost wrote: »
    Well, it depends. Say for example, you were constant pain and needed to see a specialist to determine cause and treatment. A referral from your GP would take at least 12 weeks and if you went to A&E you'd have a 10 hour wait ahead of you just to see a medical doctor - who would then most likely send you home with a referral for a specialist. If you go private, you can see the specialist within days of being referred and any surgery you need can be scheduled much sooner. Any relatively major surgery is covered by your health insurance upfront in most cases - which immediately takes away the worry of finding a spare 20k+ if you need it. Also your stay will just be more comfortable in general and, when you're ill, that's more important than you think.
    Haha! Suspicious poster is suspicious! Closed account after a few hours from opening it??!
    Me spidey senses are tingling i tells ya!


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    #78
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Patww79 wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.
    My parents have a good plan. It covered almost everything, and they can claim back 50% of any doctors, consultants, physio etc. fees each year.

    No plan is a sham, when paying for a plan it tells you literally everything it does and doesnt cover, the HIA website to be fair is one of the best implemented ideas out there. Often people are on the cheapest crappiest plan, when in reality an extra few hundred per year would get them a substantially better level of care.


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    #79
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


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    #80
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Patww79 wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.
    Well my parents claimed back over €1500 last year with no problem from laya.

    All laya asked was make sure the claim form went in the month before renewal was up, and once the form was filled out ensure the receipts were with it.

    No messing about, no questions or fobbing off, they got issued a cheque a few weeks later. To be honest i have found Laya a dream to deal with in comparison to some of the other crowds.


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    #81
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


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    #82
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,843 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    what a dreadful country we have regarding health care. we are decades behind regarding this issue. all irish citizens should have free health care particularly with the increased taxes people are now paying. dreadful situation, dreadful government(s)


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    #83
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Patww79 wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.
    Thats odd, i got the claim form straight off the website, just filled it out and sent it back. As far as i know thats the standard procedure.

    All the forms are located here https://www.layahealthcare.ie/formembers/formsbooklets/

    But all the insurers are strict about claim dates, was with VHI before and they were the same, had to have it in by a certain date or they didnt want to know.


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    #84
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    what a dreadful country we have regarding health care. we are decades behind regarding this issue. all irish citizens should have free health care particularly with the increased taxes people are now paying. dreadful situation, dreadful government(s)
    Free Excellent healthcare for all, from the level of taxes we pay ? Not a hope.

    Go to Germany and work as an employee and see just how much is taken out of your wage specifically for the public health system. Its a hell of a lot more than here, but they get great care for it.


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    #85
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


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    #86
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,843 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Outkast_IRE wrote: »
    Free Excellent healthcare for all, from the level of taxes we pay ? Not a hope.

    why not? im shocked people dont shout and scream about stuff like this. i know people from and living in sweden. sounds like a similar story to germany. they dont complain about their taxes. ireland needs to wake up and people need to start demanding more from their public services


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    #87
    shedweller
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭shedweller


    Outkast_IRE wrote: »
    Free Excellent healthcare for all, from the level of taxes we pay ? Not a hope.

    Go to Germany and work as an employee and see just how much is taken out of your wage specifically for the public health system. Its a hell of a lot more than here, but they get great care for it.
    Or go to NZ where it is cheap AND it works very well. No need for private healthcare.
    Different laws of physics maybe?
    Or is it a southern hemisphere thing?


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    #88
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,843 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    shedweller wrote: »
    Or go to NZ where it is cheap AND it works very well. No need for private healthcare.
    Different laws of physics maybe?
    Or is it a southern hemisphere thing?

    well there you are. fantastic country to. hmmm maybe you're onto something there, their toilet water flows the other way so maybe the law of physics are different there to. on a serious note, its time ireland starts to demand free healthcare for all. it makes me very angry reading stories like the ops. you should not be worrying about health care insurance with the taxes you pay.


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    #89
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,843 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    shedweller wrote: »
    Or go to NZ where it is cheap AND it works very well. No need for private healthcare.
    Different laws of physics maybe?
    Or is it a southern hemisphere thing?

    well there you are. fantastic country to. hmmm maybe you're onto something there, their toilet water flows the other way so maybe the law of physics are different there to. on a serious note, its time ireland started to demand free healthcare for all. it makes me very angry reading stories like the ops. you should not be worrying about health care insurance with the taxes you pay.


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    #90
    Interested Observer
    Registered Users Posts: 13,021 ✭✭✭✭Interested Observer


    Previous health insurance (even in childhood) or periods of time on social welfare will provide credits reducing the loading.

    Does this apply retrospectively? I am currently under 34 years old but had insurance courtesy of my parents for most of my childhood. Or is it just for people who get insurance from now on?


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    #91
    LostArt
    Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭LostArt


    Interested Observer wrote: »
    Does this apply retrospectively? I am currently under 34 years old but had insurance courtesy of my parents for most of my childhood. Or is it just for people who get insurance from now on?

    you don't get credits for childhood and credits for unemployment is capped at 3 years


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