Is health insurance worth it?

MagicMarker

I've been window shopping for a little while, and I'm just trying to get my head around it.

You can pay a fee to a company and they'll provide you with health insurance, this can cost around €40 a month(can be less, can be more). But really, what do you get? You still have to pay for GP visits, albeit less, but do you go to the GP often enough to get a saving? I'm no expert in health costs but I thought we have free health care? If I have to go to the hospital tomorrow will it cost me?

But really, you don't get preferential treatment, you don't get a private room most of the time (semi - private is not private!), you still have to pay for out patient visits (albeit less again) and you're out of pocket a small fortune.

Please someone enlighten me as to why I should get health insurance!

Toiletroll

Health insurance is worth it but 40 euro a month sounds steep...

Dragan

MagicMarker wrote: »

I've been window shopping for a little while, and I'm just trying to get my head around it.

You can pay a fee to a company and they'll provide you with health insurance, this can cost around €40 a month(can be less, can be more). But really, what do you get? You still have to pay for GP visits, albeit less, but do you go to the GP often enough to get a saving? I'm no expert in health costs but I thought we have free health care? If I have to go to the hospital tomorrow will it cost me?

But really, you don't get preferential treatment, you don't get a private room most of the time (semi - private is not private!), you still have to pay for out patient visits (albeit less again) and you're out of pocket a small fortune.

Please someone enlighten me as to why I should get health insurance!

Over the last year the total cost of my medical bills would have come to about 10,000+

Because of health insurance i only have to pay about 3000 of that.

You really should get it. Illness comes in much bigger and worse forms than the flu.

javaboy

Insurance is a form of gambling and you'll burn in hell for your sins.

I'm on VHI (through my parents). I had a medical issue a few years ago that was sorted out within 2 months privately and would have take nearly a year publicly. Then again, I haven't needed it at all otherwise. It's not for everyone. If my mam and dad didn't have the cover, I wouldn't bother getting it myself for a few years at least.

Gone Drinking

javaboy wrote: »

Insurance is a form of gambling and you'll burn in hell for your sins.

I'm on VHI (through my parents). I had a medical issue a few years ago that was sorted out within 2 months privately and would have take nearly a year publicly. Then again, I haven't needed it at all otherwise. It's not for everyone. If my mam and dad didn't have the cover, I wouldn't bother getting it myself for a few years at least.

Break your banjo string? Tough times mate, keep the head up!

prendy

MagicMarker wrote: »

I've been window shopping for a little while, and I'm just trying to get my head around it.

You can pay a fee to a company and they'll provide you with health insurance, this can cost around €40 a month(can be less, can be more). But really, what do you get? You still have to pay for GP visits, albeit less, but do you go to the GP often enough to get a saving? I'm no expert in health costs but I thought we have free health care? If I have to go to the hospital tomorrow will it cost me?

But really, you don't get preferential treatment, you don't get a private room most of the time (semi - private is not private!), you still have to pay for out patient visits (albeit less again) and you're out of pocket a small fortune.

Please someone enlighten me as to why I should get health insurance!

free health care?
no we dont.
you'll never miss health insurance untill you need it, medical bills for the simpilist things can be huge.

Zaph

Speaking as somebody who was in A&E last Monday and now has an MRI appointment for this day two weeks, damn right it's worth it. If I was waiting for that appointment going publicly it would be 6-8 months minimum. I've no idea how much it costs to pay for an MRI yourself, but I'm pretty sure that it's more than my annual VHI subscription.

jim o doom

Defo - my da had cancer, he wouldn't have been able to go to the mater private without the insurance, they fixed him and he lived another good few years before heart disease got him! Also I was in a motorcycle crash and VHI put me in a nice private room instead of the ward I had been in, which was filled with screaming old dementia patients. great fun.

stovelid

It certainly can seem useless sometimes, given the lack of immediate hospital resources, but it's a good idea more for larger medical expenses that you may incur, like scans, operations and maternity costs. You can also get money back for alterntiave therapies.

To be honest, I never really think of it in terms of GP costs or the mythical private bed. I just pay on the off-chance that something serious might happen to me.

javaboy

Gone Drinking wrote: »

Break your banjo string?

/involuntarily crosses legs.

Nope nothing like that.

MagicMarker

Hmmm, interesting...

So, who should I go with? I have a day of non-work ahead of me so I may as well get paid to search for medical insurance!

cHaTbOx

Insurance is a funny thing in that you buy it hoping to never use it .
Health is the most one of the two most important things in life, do you really want to risk it ?
I think it is worth it .

lisajane

I have been thinking about getting health insurance myself lately. I never get sick though. I just get a couple of colds during the year.

Is there something wrong with me if i have my own dog insured and not myself?

Dragan

MagicMarker wrote: »

Hmmm, interesting...

So, who should I go with? I have a day of non-work ahead of me so I may as well get paid to search for medical insurance!

Check out VHI, they have a range of plans available and have been nothing but helpful in my dealings with them.

mikemac

The OP raises a lot of good points. There are many times when you won't get better treatment and on most plans you'll still be paying GP fees
And certainly for many people it turns out be a waste of money but then, it's insurance so you never know when you need it.

Back when Vivas were around (Hibernian now?) they were the only company to offer 1k back on laser eye surgury. I did and I know others who did the laser eye surgury with their nominated clinic, claimed back the 1k and then cancelled the policy. Score!
All the groups do this now but it was new in Ireland at the time

javaboy

mikemac wrote: »

Back when Vivas were around (Hibernian now? they were the only company to offer 1k back on laser eye surgury. I did and I know others who did the laser eye surgury with their nominated clinic, claimed back the 1k and then cancelled the policy. Score!

You see that's why I don't think things like laser eye surgery and certain dental procedures for example should be covered by insurance. I don't mind my insurance premium covering somebody else's costs for an accident or an emergency but paying for someone else's voluntary foreseeable somewhat cosmetic procedures? No way.

mikemac

A fair point Javaboy but wouldn't say laser eye surgury is entirly cosmetic

And certainly if you work in emergency services then contact lenses and glasses may hinder you in some situations.
Sorry for going offtopic

But yes there are certain dental procudures they are definitly for cosmetic purposes only and should not be covered unless it's a very detailed and expensive plan

javaboy

mikemac wrote: »

A fair point Javaboy but wouldn't say laser eye surgury is entirly cosmetic

And certainly if you work in emergency services then contact lenses and glasses may hinder you in some situations.
Sorry for going offtopic

That's why I said "somewhat". And if your job means you can't wear contacts/glasses, they should pay for the procedure.

What you did is the equivalent of me buying a banged up car, insuring it and then getting my insurance to pay for the repairs. At the very least the rules about an existing condition should apply to laser eye surgery so if you've had glasses before you started your policy, it should be treated as a pre-existing condition.

mikemac

I ripped off nobody, their executives decided what to offer
At the time they were a new company and desperate for market share so it was a new and novel idea. And now the other companies have all copied them, they all offer 1k to this procedure

Anyway, are you going to sign up OP and which company are you thinking of?

javaboy

mikemac wrote: »

I ripped off nobody, their executives decided what to offer

Hey I can't blame you for doing it. I might have done the same. I just think certain things like that shouldn't be covered by other members' money.

Rabies

Its definitely worth it.
I had it for a years years. Moved over to NZ and let it lapse after the first year.

Last week I ended up in hospital for a few days. Docs still don't know what happened and why. Blood transfusions, a few proceedures and more to come in a couple of weeks.

Gonna hit a few $k by the end of it. If I was insured (with over seas cover) I'd be fine. Now I don't know how much this will cost or if I'm partly covered by the state. I'll find when I get the full bill :eek:

ScumLord

It's worth it. I never have to mingle with the riff raff whenever I have to go into hospital. No waiting around either.

MagicMarker

Well I'm now the proud owner of health insurance.

I opted for VHI's ''First Plan Plus, with Day-to-Day Level 1''. Tis slightly more expensive than the bog standard policies, but it looks to be worth it should I ever need it. I checked out vivas and they have some very cheap options, but the one above seems more comprehensive to me.

Run_to_da_hills

Anyone who drives a motorbike would want to be an idiot not to have some form of private health care.

Tawny

Still feel new to Ireland sometimes.... so can anyone explain to me...

What exactly do you have to pay for if you have to go to hospital? Like is it the same as America where if you get hit by a bus, an ambulance takes you to hospital and you dont get treated unless you either prove you have either the money or health insurance?

ScumLord

Tawny wrote: »

Still feel new to Ireland sometimes.... so can anyone explain to me...

What exactly do you have to pay for if you have to go to hospital? Like is it the same as America where if you get hit by a bus, an ambulance takes you to hospital and you dont get treated unless you either prove you have either the money or health insurance?

No you'll get treated, if your European and have the European insurance card you'll be treated like a local or the bill will be sent to your own government.

I think in Ireland you pay for emergency stuff. If your GP sends you to the hospital it's free???? I don't really know, like a I said I don't mix with commoners when it comes to health.

Zaph

If you have to go to A&E it's €66.

MagicMarker

Zaph wrote: »

If you have to go to A&E it's €66.

What an odd number... but not.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Toiletroll wrote: »

Health insurance is worth it but 40 euro a month sounds steep...

You think €480 a year is steep! Not if you want decent cover. I pay €1200 each for my wife and myself and it's worth every penny. Have you ever enquired into the cost of surgery? We certainly get quicker attention and a choice of hospitals.

Darragh29

Dragan wrote: »

Check out VHI, they have a range of plans available and have been nothing but helpful in my dealings with them.

Are ya mad Dragan!?!?! Check out Hibernian Health, way more benefits for not much more than 50% of the premium! You'd want to be mad to go with VHI!

Roadend

I would have to say its worth it, I have health insurance(well company pays for it:p) but I had to go into hospital a few months back and ended up in a private room away from the public health care scum. I really would pay for it myself knowing such preferential treatment is afforded to you should you need to avail of it.

javaboy

Zaph wrote: »

If you have to go to A&E it's €66.

Did that not go up in the budget or have they rolled back on it?

Krieg

My health insurance has paid off. I have had about 4 procedures in the last 15 years and im paying less because I have the health insurance.

Eoin

javaboy wrote: »

You see that's why I don't think things like laser eye surgery and certain dental procedures for example should be covered by insurance. I don't mind my insurance premium covering somebody else's costs for an accident or an emergency but paying for someone else's voluntary foreseeable somewhat cosmetic procedures? No way.

The VHI dental cover is pretty poor - and that's with the specific add-on package you get. It's a couple of hundred quid a year, and the cap on it is quite low.

Unless you consider getting a crown instead of having a tooth pulled is cosmetic, then I would consider the vast majority of dental treatments as medical treatments. The awful Hollywood veneers are a different matter of course.

The Insider

javaboy wrote: »

Did that not go up in the budget or have they rolled back on it?

Yep its now €100 afak.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Darragh29 wrote: »

Are ya mad Dragan!?!?! Check out Hibernian Health, way more benefits for not much more than 50% of the premium! You'd want to be mad to go with VHI!

Look! It's like comparing Apples & Oranges, or different phone company tarriffs. It all depends on each customer's situation and what type of cover they want. No 2 companies offer the exact same bundles. So, while Hibernian may suit you, VHI may suit others. Let each person contact the various suppliers and decide for themselves. The question was if Health Insurance is worth it. And it is!

spurious

It's worth it if you ever have to use it, I suppose.
Just how much the existence of private health cover is to blame for the powers that be making dog's do-do of the health service is another day's work.

JCDUB

Rabies wrote: »

Last week I ended up in hospital for a few days. Docs still don't know what happened and why.

Wouldn't have anything to do with your username would it??:eek:

On topic, I remember hearing an interview on the radio a few years ago with some insurance expert from the industry and he said statistically it's not worth getting health insurance until you reach your forties (or thereabouts, sorry am sketchy on details.)

He basically had analysed claims etc over many years and come to the conclusion that you're better off taking your chances without it.
Then again if you're the unlucky person who needs it, you will probably curse listening to this foolish man..

I didn't have it until recently and it saved me quite a bit having wisdom teeth out so I'm quids in so far.

Eoin

Yeah, shame you don't get some sort of no-claims bonus like you do with your car insurance.

BaconZombie

If you are getting it from work you can claim some of the BIK back via your taxes.
Plus you can claim back the last four years if you haven't already.

Ginny

Have it, and its saved me about €3,500 last year and the year before for procedures.
Greatest difference I found was being referred to a specialist, on Private she could see me in 2 months, on Public she would review my case in 18 months and then decide on whether I needed an appointment. Which is very bloody scary.

javaboy

eoin wrote: »

The VHI dental cover is pretty poor - and that's with the specific add-on package you get. It's a couple of hundred quid a year, and the cap on it is quite low.

Unless you consider getting a crown instead of having a tooth pulled is cosmetic, then I would consider the vast majority of dental treatments as medical treatments. The awful Hollywood veneers are a different matter of course.

I was talking about health insurance in general not VHI specifically. And yeah I was talking more about veneers and that kind of aesthetic treatment. If it's not something affecting your health, I don't think health insurance should be covering it.

Tawny

I still don't get it....

If I come off my bike tomorrow and have to go to hospital...

An ambulance picks me up, so I pay for that? I go to A&E and thats another charge, then if I need an x-ray and a cast for a broken leg or something then thats another charge? So a couple of weeks or whatever afterwards I can expect a hefty bill... is this simply how it works?

What is PRSI for then?

ScumLord

Tawny wrote: »

I still don't get it....

If I come off my bike tomorrow and have to go to hospital...

An ambulance picks me up, so I pay for that? I go to A&E and thats another charge, then if I need an x-ray and a cast for a broken leg or something then thats another charge? So a couple of weeks or whatever afterwards I can expect a hefty bill... is this simply how it works?

What is PRSI for then?

Finna Fails Friday night piss up.

tallaght01

I never had it til about 2 years ago. Within 2 months of getting it I had to have about 3 pretty significant courses of treatment in hospital abroad. The VHI covered it. Was all done in no time and with no fuss.

I've kept the insurance since. Well worth it.

jaxy999

An accountant said to me once alway's make sure you have health insurance. Eg my uncle died of cancer last year and during his illness he spent ALOT of time in hospital in Dublin getting treatment. The total cost of all his treatment, hospital stay, everything, it was around €80,000. How many people could afford that? Not many for sure.
I have health insurance and I'm paying €350 a year, it's the basic package no frills, from Hibernian. I've never had to use it thank God, but I'd sacrifice something else to make sure I paid my premium.

Guru Maith Agut

Hell no total feckin' waste of money!











...now where oh where did I leave my angina pills.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

If you can afford it you should get it. There may be a day when you wished you had medical insurance. You know emergencies or something? I will be getting it when I can afford it. Will have to see what suits me though.

lisajane

Didn't feel like starting a new thread. I have been thinking about getting health insurance. Which is better, VHI, hibernian or quinn. I keep changing my mind. I cant choose between the 3. Or should i use my twin's medical card if i get sick?

Saibh

lisajane wrote: »

Didn't feel like starting a new thread. I have been thinking about getting health insurance. Which is better, VHI, hibernian or quinn. I keep changing my mind. I cant choose between the 3. Or should i use my twin's medical card if i get sick?

What if they find out that you used your twin's card and she/he loses it.

See this forum re health and insurance

byhookorbycrook

so far my med bills this year have been 12,000 plus, so yes, worth it