Sell me health insurance

irishguy

I am 28, male and in good health, dont smoke dont drink that much. Was just wondering why I would want health insurance? We does it give me that the public system doesnt?

I was in Vincents last year with a broken thumb and I was very impressed with the quick service for the princely sum of €100. Health insurance covered €66 that was it, no other benefit.

Am I missing something massive?

TiGeR KiNgS

For a healthy 28 year old, health insurance (in a recession) in Ireland is a waste of money imo.

unless, you have a family, work in a mine shaft or your employer contributes etc


Also Aviva premiums are on the increase by 15%, expect the oligopoly to follow

racso1975

My wife is in her 30's and we cancelled insurance during the year. we have just forked out 7000 for an operation for her that she need. that does not include the physio bills we'll have to pay in new year.

I'd say you can guess what my advice is

broker2008

irishguy wrote: »

I am 28, male and in good health, dont smoke dont drink that much. Was just wondering why I would want health insurance? We does it give me that the public system doesnt?

I was in Vincents last year with a broken thumb and I was very impressed with the quick service for the princely sum of €100. Health insurance covered €66 that was it, no other benefit.

Am I missing something massive?

Taking the cover for a&E off would be one option, if you are on extra go onto Hospital.

irishguy

racso1975 wrote: »

My wife is in her 30's and we cancelled insurance during the year. we have just forked out 7000 for an operation for her that she need. that does not include the physio bills we'll have to pay in new year.

I'd say you can guess what my advice is

But could it not be done through a public Hospital? Is that not what I am paying my PRSI for?


Also I have Health insurance, my employer pays for it. I was just wondering as a number of people at work said they had to have it, but didnt have an valid answer when probed.

omahaid

I imagine it's all down to timeliness. My uncle hurt his knee in 2008. He went public and got to see the consultant in late 2010. The consultant referred him for a MRI scan which he had in June of this year. This scan then goes back to the consultant. My uncle is still waiting for an appointment with this consultant.

Now, I have no idea of this is the norm but I believe that with my VHI I would not have to wait as long so I suppose that's why I pay it - so I, my wife and my kids won't have to wait as long for treatment.

If I was single I'd probably risk not having it though...

angel01

irishguy wrote: »

But could it not be done through a public Hospital? Is that not what I am paying my PRSI for?


Also I have Health insurance, my employer pays for it. I was just wondering as a number of people at work said they had to have it, but didnt have an valid answer when probed.

You will wait a long time for operations. Best to have insurance.

shockwave

I went to my GP 2 years ago with a hernia, took 2 years to be seen by the consultant in hospital and now Im on a waiting list for the operation.

Waiting 3 months so far and no idea when they'll do it, Im sure if I had insurance I wouldnt be waiting so long.

coylemj

If you have private medical insurance, there are very few scenarios where you have to wait any length of time for a consultant appointment, a scan or a bed for a procedure. The examples above of long waiting times are what you have to put up with if you have no insurance.

Unless it's an emergency you will be waiting for a long, long time to get anything done in the public system. Put bluntly, people pay VHI, Aviva etc. simply to be able to jump the queue.

St. Vincents Private, the Beacon, Blackrock, the Hermitage Clinic, Mount Carmel and the Bons in Cork are all monuments to private medical insurance, all of them are funded from the premiums people pay in order to bypass the public health system.

billyhead

Hi,

I was just wondering if you have any sort of private plan would this result in you avoding a massive waiting list i.e if you have the most basis starter plan is it even beneficial?

broker2008

Different plans offer different access to different hospitals and different rooms within these hospitals. What health insurance does is offer choice and access. If you have a basic plan, you might be able to get a MRI scan paid for with no waiting time. If the local public hospital has a queue for the surgery that you are waiting for there might be a private hospital or high tech hospital ready and willing to welcome you onboard assuming you have the cover. You want a private room in Mater Private for your 2 night stay because of your operation on your smashed leg you need the top plans.

okiss

Having health insurance means that you have a choice to go public or private when you have a medical problem.
One of my friends had a serious unexplained medical problem which was getting worse over the space of a few weeks. Due to her doctor presistance they got an mri scan and operation as a public patient which left them a few hundered euro medical bill. After this they got health insurance.

Another person I know noticed a sore on their face which they were worried about. Because of medical insurance they could get the best treatment possible and have on going checks regarding this within a short period of time.
They would still be on the public waiting list with a problem which could be getting worse along with the worry about this also.
There have been a number of case where people have died because they did not get scans early or the best treatment possible as they were on a public waiting list to see a consultant or get a scan. Due to the cut back this problem will get worse.