Why does anyone need VHI

Grassroots_FF

WalterMitty wrote: »

if ya need to go into psychiatric hospital the only decent ones are private and without VHI would cost you 16,000 a month.

No wonder the posters on here are so irate:pac:

longhalloween

cancercowboy wrote: »

Seems like a luxury to me especially considering we have "free" Public Health Care.

Ah yeah, sure when the government is pulling massive surpluses every year they can afford to!!


In fairness tho, one of my friends was told if she went public it would take 3 years to get seen by a specialist, private would take a week.

rainbowdrop

Grassroots_FF wrote: »

Do you not think paying customers deserve to be seen before those who don't pay? If you go into a restaurant and say you are hungry but have no money I'm sure they will give you some food but only after the paying customers have been fed first.

So if a medical card holder discovered they had Cancer, for example, and needed an urgent operation to remove a tumour, you would put them to the back of the waiting list behind 'paying customers' (who might not need an operation as urgently) even though the likelihood is that they will die unless they have the operation as soon as possible?

Grassroots_FF

rainbowdrop wrote: »

So if a medical card holder discovered they had Cancer, for example, and needed an urgent operation to remove a tumour, you would put them to the back of the waiting list behind 'paying customers' (who might not need an operation as urgently) even though the likelihood is that they will die unless they have the operation as soon as possible?

Not if there was a risk of them dying. But if there's two patients in the same situation then the paying one should be treated first.

Dudess

Because it's a lot better than that sh1te MTV...

goat2

starbelgrade wrote: »

If ever there was a reason for changing from VHI to BUPA or Quinn, it would be a recommendation from a poster whose username is Grassroots FF.

reason i have vhi, very ill once cost 7k to be taken care of so we joined vhi, there are great advantages having it, when you have someone in the family who may need a 22k operation at any time, at least i can sleep knowing i will have my offspring taken care of, she already had a 12k op 4 yrs ago, and that may have to be repeated, life or death for her if we do not have it

goat2

rainbowdrop wrote: »

So if a medical card holder discovered they had Cancer, for example, and needed an urgent operation to remove a tumour, you would put them to the back of the waiting list behind 'paying customers' (who might not need an operation as urgently) even though the likelihood is that they will die unless they have the operation as soon as possible?

you got it all wrong, the vhi customer is alleviating the public health by going private and leaving a bed available for the person on public health, now what will happen is both the private health patient who cannot afford to pay vhi anymore due to the jump in price and loss in wages will be clogging up the public health list also. things are going to get worse from now on for all, an auful lot more beds in corridors, people being pushed out of hospitals before they should be,

whatsamsn

I was talking to my dad today about VHI (as it was on the rte news)

He made a fair point ... why are so many "young" people paying VHI? .. yes I know its sensible as you dont know whats around the corner and if you have serious health problems you're covered. But lets be honest how many people, who are young, really need VHI?

I'd be willing to bet a large percentage of young people just pay VHI and never have any need of it.

whatdoicare

rainbowdrop wrote: »

So if a medical card holder discovered they had Cancer, for example, and needed an urgent operation to remove a tumour, you would put them to the back of the waiting list behind 'paying customers' (who might not need an operation as urgently) even though the likelihood is that they will die unless they have the operation as soon as possible?

Here's an example for you:

Dad has VHI insurance - had a severe headache for a weekend that wouldn't go away - went to see doctor Monday - MRI scan Wednesday - All clear following Tues with a personal phone call from cancer specialist. Relief was beyond words for all the family. Week from hell we never want to go through again!

Woman sitting next to him waiting for MRI (public patient), told my Dad she had Liver cancer and had been in remission for a year when her tests came up with an abnormality. Seven months, SEVEN, she had to wait for her appointment for MRI and to see a specialist! Could you imagine what that poor woman went through in seven months of not knowing if her cancer had returned?!! If she did have cancer, surely she could have been beyond help after seven months?


I have a ton more example but this one is the most recent!

Oranage2

F*ck - This thread has scare mongered me into potentially buying health insurance!!!

whatdoicare

whatsamsn wrote: »

I was talking to my dad today about VHI (as it was on the rte news)

He made a fair point ... why are so many "young" people paying VHI? .. yes I know its sensible as you dont know whats around the corner and if you have serious health problems you're covered. But lets be honest how many people, who are young, really need VHI?

I'd be willing to bet a large percentage of young people just pay VHI and never have any need of it.

What about stuff that young men and women tend to do - such as give birth,
Sports injuries, Drinking injuries, Cancer has no age limit, car crash, auto immune problems, swine flu? Need I go on? Illness and injury are not just an old persons problem.

whatsamsn

Well my dad isnt beside me right now... but I know what he and average people of his age will say

"... people in my day didnt pay for that ..." and you know what they lived their lives. Car crashes ... immune problems etc etc.


Simple fact is VHI (and other companies) must wa*k at young people paying the fees. For every 1 person who 'gets their use' out of vhi, what 20 dont?
Now I can understand why people pay it. Dont know whats around the corner and what not. Can be seen as sensible. But lets be honest, insurance is about calculating odds and percentages.

whatdoicare

whatsamsn wrote: »

Well my dad isnt beside me right now... but I know what he and average people of his age will say

"... people in my day didnt pay for that ..." and you know what they lived their lives. Car crashes ... immune problems etc etc.

Yeah my dad didn't either - so when he had a car crash and f**kd up his knee - he did what everyone did in his time - took strong painkillers and ignored it!

30 years later he needed two hip operations and a new knee - caused by arthritis directly from his knee injury 30 years previous! Guess what paid for that?

whatsamsn

See no one is arguing why people would take a health care plan. As i say again sensible.


HOWEVER!
Is your counter argument that everyone in the country should have a vhi (or another) plan?

whatdoicare

whatsamsn wrote: »

See no one is arguing why people would take a health care plan. As i say again sensible.


HOWEVER!
Is your counter argument that everyone in the country should have a vhi (or another) plan?

Yes, if you can afford it - it's too late getting it after yr injured as insurance doesn't cover prexisting illnesses and injuries for five years after you first sign up and sometimes not at all.
If I want to have babies, I have to be signed up for at least two years before getting pregnant - too late trying to get it after I've conceived.
My husband injured his shoulder recently, almost certainly will cause him problems later - wouldn't be full covered for it if we didn't already have insurance from before his injury.

Corsendonk

token56 wrote: »

Because private health care rocks, comparatively speaking. Private health is what public health care should be like. Of course it never will be.

Health insurance is indeed a luxury for those who can afford and it's invaluable to some people. But even for the standard of care they provide such premiums should never be needed. The health system is quite simply a disaster.

Not when the private health care system work depends on consultants fiddling there public/private patient split so they can do more private work. VHI system is a joke, creates a two tier system ineffiecient system that breeds corruption. I understand that VHI will be looking to introduce waiting lists for some of their catagories as they are really struggling for cash.

The Danes pay higher taxes than us but they know when they fall ill they have a public bed waiting for them.

whatsamsn

whatdoicare wrote: »

Yes, if you can afford it - it's too late getting it after yr injured as insurance doesn't cover prexisting illnesses and injuries for five years after you first sign up and sometimes not at all.
If I want to have babies, I have to be signed up for at least two years before getting pregnant - too late trying to get it after I've conceived.
My husband injured his shoulder recently, almost certainly will cause him problems later - wouldn't be full covered for it if we didn't already have insurance from before his injury.

While I understand where you are coming from. As it is sensible and no one can say otherwise. But all health care companies would have a big wa*k if everyone in this country was on a plan.

But i think you hit the nail on the head... if people can afford it. Then why not. However if people cant I think it can be somewhat foolish. For example, not being able to pay the rent but at least if you get sick your covered?


So personally I think yeah if you can afford it. Go for it. If you cant. Its foolish.

Tar.Aldarion

At what age would you guys have started getting it? Just as soon as you started working?

whatdoicare

whatsamsn wrote: »

While I understand where you are coming from. As it is sensible and no one can say otherwise. But all health care companies would have a big wa*k if everyone in this country was on a plan.

But i think you hit the nail on the head... if people can afford it. Then why not. However if people cant I think it can be somewhat foolish. For example, not being able to pay the rent but at least if you get sick your covered?


So personally I think yeah if you can afford it. Go for it. If you cant. Its foolish.

Well, finacially, it's easier to scrape together a grand (or eighty a month - which is how I pay) to cover myself and the hubby (and children are covered with me for free up to a certain age) once a year than to try scrape a few grand together on the hop for anything unexpected. If we hadn't the insurance when my husband injured his shoulder before christmas, we could not have afforded the operation he needed and the time off work he would have had to take waiting for his op (he's self employed - so no sick days and this is his busiest time). He went in 6am (time of injury) and was home 6pm two days later. In for work next morning.
Going public, he might have had to wait at least a fortnight (we asked the surgeon) so he obviously would have been out of work that whole time as he couldn't drive or lift his arm above his head. Disaster!

OPENROAD

whatdoicare wrote: »

Well, finacially, it's easier to scrape together a grand (or eighty a month - which is how I pay) to cover myself and the hubby (and children are covered with me for free up to a certain age) once a year than to try scrape a few grand together on the hop for anything unexpected. If we hadn't the insurance when my husband injured his shoulder before christmas, we could not have afforded the operation he needed and the time off work he would have had to take waiting for his op (he's self employed - so no sick days and this is his busiest time). He went in 6am (time of injury) and was home 6pm two days later. In for work next morning.
Going public, he might have had to wait at least a fortnight (we asked the surgeon) so he obviously would have been out of work that whole time as he couldn't drive or lift his arm above his head. Disaster!

That wouldn't cover everything or would it ?i.e. assume different level of policies cover different things?

whatsamsn

Nasty.

Hope he is alright now.

whatdoicare

OPENROAD wrote: »

That wouldn't cover everything or would it ?i.e. assume different level of policies cover different things?

Covered the whole shebang (obviously not his missing work - but what I mean was- it could have been a lot more money lost if he had to wait for the op but he only had to really lose 3 days instead of two - three weeks of work lost.)



He's grand now - was fierce painful for him though

OPENROAD

whatdoicare wrote: »

Covered the whole shebang (obviously not his missing work - but what I mean was- it could have been a lot more money lost if he had to wait for the op but he only had to really lose 3 days instead of two - three weeks of work lost.)



He's grand now - was fierce painful for him though

Glad to hear he is ok

I meant though with all illnesses, a general question i.e. the way you have different insurance plans i.e VHI Plan B, C, D, E.

Greentopia

Have lived to my 40th year happily never needing or desiring to have it.
Firstly I'm ideologically opposed to supporting private health care in this country when what we should have is universal health care as they have in many other European countries. Much more equitable. Decent healthcare should be a right for all, not just those who can afford it.

If we had a single tier universal system like Denmark or Sweden for example and people who could afford it still wanted to go private, then fine.
That option should be there for those who want it. For the majority it should be quality publicly funded universal care IMO.

Secondly I stay fit and healthy in mind and body, I don't smoke, drink in moderation, eat a very healthy diet (I spend a high proportion of my income on high quality food), am not overweight and take regular exercise. I have no diseases or underlying conditions and I've only ever been to hospital once with a treatable health problem and received excellent care as a public patient. I get regular bloods done, check-ups and tests like cervical smears and cholesterol.

That's my health insurance and so far it's working

whatdoicare

OPENROAD wrote: »

Glad to hear he is ok

I meant though with all illnesses, a general question i.e. the way you have different insurance plans i.e VHI Plan B, C, D, E.

Oh, ummm... I'm not sure which we have - the cheapest one I gather - covers the basics....I think they give you whichever cover based on past injuries and family history etc unless you ask for certain level of cover for a specific thing.
The basic one will cover you otherwise.

OPENROAD

Greentopia wrote: »

Have lived to my 40th year happily never needing or desiring to have it.
Firstly I'm ideologically opposed to supporting private health care in this country when what we should have is universal health care as they have in many other European countries. Much more equitable. Decent healthcare should be a right for all, not just those who can afford it.

If we had a single tier universal system like Denmark or Sweden for example and people who could afford it still wanted to go private, then fine.
That option should be there for those who want it. For the majority it should be quality publicly funded universal care IMO.

Secondly I stay fit and healthy in mind and body, I don't smoke, drink in moderation, eat a very healthy diet (I spend a high proportion of my income on high quality food), am not overweight and take regular exercise. I have no diseases or underlying conditions and I've only ever been to hospital once with a treatable health problem and received excellent care as a public patient. I get regular bloods done, check-ups and tests like cervical smears and cholesterol.

That's my health insurance and so far it's working

Why go private though in that case?

sandmanporto

cancercowboy wrote: »

Seems like a luxury to me especially considering we have "free" Public Health Care.

Worried about the price increases? Drop 'em, you don't it.

Free CRAP PUBLIC CARE you mean. If you want to live longer you need Vhi! Anyway, didnt the crap government tax health insurance? This country want people to die on a hospital trolley as quick as possible to avoid further payouts!!

queensinead

Grassroots_FF wrote: »

No wonder the posters on here are so irate:pac:

:D

The thing with VHI is that many people started it when they got their first job, especially those in permanent jobs in the PS, teachers and the like---years of paying high premiums, but, because they were young, few health problems, they never needed or used VHI.
Now they are middle-aged or old, they don't want to opt out because they are getting to the age when things start going wrong health-wise. And these are the people who have the biggest hike, as announced today.

But some middle-aged people I know just joined in late middle-age. After a year or so you are covered for everything. They should have tougher checks for these people---do you smoke, have high blood pressure, and so on. But I believe it is easy to join. That is probably why premiums are so high.

So if you are young and in good health, why pay all that money?

Greentopia

OPENROAD wrote: »

Why go private though in that case?

Well indeed, but there will always be people who would choose to want private care regardless of how good the public system is.
Maybe they like their hospital having nicer food or looking more like a boutique hotel than a hospital, because they think because they pay more for something that that equates to better regardless of facts stating otherwise... snobbery... who knows?

It's like why fly first class when you can travel economy? There's not much difference except for real cutlery being used, slightly better food and a little more legroom but regardless of how much money you spend on the ticket everyone on board arrives at the same destination.

OPENROAD

queensinead wrote: »

:D

The thing with VHI is that many people started it when they got their first job, especially those in permanent jobs in the PS, teachers and the like---years of paying high premiums, but, because they were young, few health problems, they never needed or used VHI.
Now they are middle-aged or old, they don't want to opt out because they are getting to the age when things start going wrong health-wise. And these are the people who have the biggest hike, as announced today.

But some middle-aged people I know just joined in late middle-age. After a year or so you are covered for everything. They should have tougher checks for these people---do you smoke, have high blood pressure, and so on. But I believe it is easy to join. That is probably why premiums are so high.

So if you are young and in good health, why pay all that money?

Why? I thought the price is the same no matter what age you are