US moving to IRL - Health Insurance.

chicken_food

Here goes - My G/f who is a US national, has decided to come over here as part of the year long J1. She has been granted her visa on condition of her return flight and health insurance. Here's the problem - it seems to be that her current health care provider in the States will not cover this year in Ireland. Here's a brief extract of the email sent to her.

Please submit an original letter from your insurance
carrier noting the specific dates and coverage for Ireland or proof of
purchased medical/travel insurance with validity dates included. You
must provide proof of medical/travel insurance which will cover you for
any medical necessities, including regular office visits for any type of
illness, etc.

Can anyone recommend what to do? Would it be easier to buy Irish health insurance for her @€;360 or get travel insurance instead at €350 or so. The part that I wonder about is the 'regualr office visits'. If i'm correct, even my health insurance doesn't cover this for me!!

I'd appreciate any help here!

Penrose

Irish Health insurance is a rip off, even with their highest coverage plans the quality of care you will receive is sub standard. Stick with the American Insurance if you can. I was in a bad way a few years back got really sick and I was on an American travel insurance plan, excellent help all round that I have never received from any Irish health insurer.

chicken_food

Do u have the name of that insurance company?
Does it have to cover all doctors appointments?? Or are they referring to out-patient bills?! The wording of their requirements and the wording of most insurance companies, is doing my head in!

Fysh

chicken_food wrote: »

Do u have the name of that insurance company?
Does it have to cover all doctors appointments?? Or are they referring to out-patient bills?! The wording of their requirements and the wording of most insurance companies, is doing my head in!

You can get medical insurance that will cover all doctor's appointments, but the issue will be the excess - ie how much you have to pay before the insurance kicks in. You'll be lucky to get an Irish insurance policy whose excess is low enough that you can claim back the cost of normal doctor's appointments, but it's obviously still worth looking around.

Penrose

It was blue insurance, I had the highest policy - covered everything from medication, hospital stay, food, MRI scans, private room.

Best time in hospital ever!

chicken_food

I used blue insurance myself when I was going over to the states. Getting the insurance seems to be more of a nightmare then getting her the visa!!

chicken_food

Well Quinn is about 360e and Aviva is 560e - so there is some big difference in the price.
I think i'll just have to look at travel insurance.

Jim2007

chicken_food wrote: »

Well Quinn is about 360e and Aviva is 560e - so there is some big difference in the price.
I think i'll just have to look at travel insurance.

Be very careful about travel insurance, as it may well not cover her - it is usually only for travel emergency and once she has a visa - she is not longer travelling, she is resident and hence the insurance company have an out, if they don't want to pay up!

Jim

InTheTrees

I would be surprised if "Travel" insurance would cover her for a year.

So get her the Irish insurance. 350euros seems reasonable.