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Medical Card vs Private Health Insurance

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  • 11-07-2011 12:55am
    #1
    Chibodee
    Registered Users Posts: 96 ✭✭


    My partner is entitled to medical card due to personal and family circumstances however I am renewing my private health insurance - I am wondering if there is an advantage in making him a second person on my scheme or is he even allowed when he has a medical card! Thanks in advance for information :)


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    #2
    Hal Emmerich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭Hal Emmerich


    There's a few similar threads like this around but I'll just say that the biggest benefit of having private healthcare is jumping the Cue's.

    There's up to and over 5 years of a waiting list on alot of GP referrals.

    HIA may be of use to you. I highly doubt you can't put him on yours because he has a Medical Card.


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    #3
    broker2008
    Registered Users Posts: 750 ✭✭✭broker2008


    Chibodee wrote: »
    My partner is entitled to medical card due to personal and family circumstances however I am renewing my private health insurance - I am wondering if there is an advantage in making him a second person on my scheme or is he even allowed when he has a medical card! Thanks in advance for information :)


    GO get some advice before you renew as some companies will tie you in for the full year and allow you make no changes to your health plan. There are other options out there. Your partner can go on the plan, again the fact that you are thinking about it could signal you could do with a bit of advice.


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    #4
    NuMarvel
    Registered Users Posts: 3,279 ✭✭✭NuMarvel


    There are no problems with having both a medical card and private health insurance. In fact the insurer will probably be happy because it's a few less things they'll have to pay for :) (i.e. GP visits, and public hospital charges if it's a full medical card)

    As Hal says the main advantage of health insurance is quicker access to consultants, as well as scans and tests.


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    #5
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,347 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Agree with the poster above, the medical card will cover services at the lower end of the medical spectrum which health insurance sometimes doesn't cover like GP visits and prescription drugs. The medical insurance will give quick access to a choice of consultants and various scans and tests that you'd otherwise have to wait in a queue to access.


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    #6
    bigsaver99
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭bigsaver99


    vhi will now impose a €50 cancellation charge and will force you to pay a portion of the government levy which can cost you a lot of money to get out of, quinn and aviva will not charge you for the full year if you cancel as long as you do not have a claim on the policy. the hia is a brilliant site for comparing, I would love to set up as an independant health insurance advisor as cornmarket and most brokers only work for aviva as they are the only ones who pay comission, too many people are getting screwed especially all those poor people with the vhi


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