Health Insurance

Hollywood130

Hi!

I am with Laya Healthcare, I have health insurance for 2 years now and so far have seen no benefit from it. Just wondering what is everyones thoughts on health insurance nowadays, is there a need for it? I'm thinking of cancelling it once this year is up. There is such mixed reviews on it. Is it worthwhile?

Alf Veedersane

I wouldn't cancel it. You're just asking for trouble.

Get the most basic package. That's what I did and I ended up needing it a few months ago. I'd have learned a costly lesson had I gone ahead with my threat to give it up altogether.

Hollywood130

What provider are you with? My only problem is that I had a surgery years ago that reared its head again and they wouldn't cover it as it was a pre-existing condition (understandable) but waiting 5 years before I can use it again for the same condition??
I suppose it's better to have it than not have it though

Alf Veedersane

I'm with VHI.

Your best bet is to go to the Health Insurance Authority website and run through a comparison. I'm not sure what the pre-existing condition might mean when switching though so best to check that out.

Hollywood130

Great thanks a million

MRSbusy

Hi, just got our renewal quote from laya (eur 3363.79 per year) and it's increased by eur 800 per year which we simply can't afford. We are a family of 2 adults and 2 children(one under 3) and Glo health are offering a quote of (eur 1991.51) much more affordable, just wondering if anyone has had any experience good or bad with them?

ted1

Hollywood130 wrote: »

Hi!

I am with Laya Healthcare, I have health insurance for 2 years now and so far have seen no benefit from it. Just wondering what is everyones thoughts on health insurance nowadays, is there a need for it? I'm thinking of cancelling it once this year is up. There is such mixed reviews on it. Is it worthwhile?

Do you feel that you should crash your car annually, just to see some benefit?

ted1

MRSbusy wrote: »

Hi, just got our renewal quote from laya (eur 3363.79 per year) and it's increased by eur 800 per year which we simply can't afford. We are a family of 2 adults and 2 children(one under 3) and Glo health are offering a quote of (eur 1991.51) much more affordable, just wondering if anyone has had any experience good or bad with them?

shop around. I'm with Laya and the 2 kids and wife are with GloHealth. we're paying about 1400 a year.


I use thee guys as brokers, they can arrange loyalty discounts: https://www.cornmarket.ie/health_insurance_review.htm

Hollywood130

The difference being that I CANNOT drive a car without insurance by law, leaving me no choice but to have it. Not the case for Health Insurance, no law saying I must have it, I have a choice. Plus my car insurance is half the price of the health insurance

Squiggle

The main benefit of health insurance is for elective procedures, but nothing to stop you paying for those procedures if you don't have insurance. The public system is there as a back up. If you get brought to hospital in an ambulance you will receive the same treatment regardless of whether or not you have private health insurance.

BuilderPlumber

The whole problem with health insurance is the cost of it. And unfortunately, none of the companies can change this! It is all poor government policies that have hiked the price of it threefold on average across only a few years. Risk equalisation and all this 'justification' to price something at 3 times its value.

Health insurance is by and large essential but it should be affordable. Overpriced services and products are the ruination of Ireland and the last thing Ireland needs is yet another industry imploding due to pricing itself out of the market (we saw this with construction and other ones already). If health insurance costs keeps going up, there will be very little providers left with the government bailing out VHI similar to the banks (admittedly, it will do less damage to the economy). Now is the time for the government to step in and save the service. Or is this the plan? set the health insurance service on a course of implosion so as to get everyone to pay dear for a f'ed up HSE???

I would not give up health insurance personally but I would stage a protest against government policy and meet the local pro-government councillors-to-be before the local elections next year and tell them I cannot vote for you unless you reform the HI services and dismantle the 'risk equalisation' scam that Harney created and Reilly continues.

Hollywood130

Just got my remewal notice from Laya today - €1012 for next year, absolutely crazy, there is no way I can or will pay that, how can it be so expensive, thats €84 per month. It's ridiculous

Noxin

Never had health insurance as I never felt I needed it.... Until last year.

I decided to get it at the beginning of last year... just in case...

December hits and bang! I'm in the hospital for 2 weeks needing a pretty serious operation around the back of my ear / skull.
Private room during the stay and nothing to be done but say thank you to the nurses at the end. After that, I'm never giving it up! NEVER!

SCOOP 64

Noxin wrote: »

Never had health insurance as I never felt I needed it.... Until last year.

I decided to get it at the beginning of last year... just in case...

December hits and bang! I'm in the hospital for 2 weeks needing a pretty serious operation around the back of my ear / skull.
Private room during the stay and nothing to be done but say thank you to the nurses at the end. After that, I'm never giving it up! NEVER!

Wonder how it would work if you didnt have insurance,
would it be just a big bill at end, because if you cant afford insurance, i should imagine with some people it would be like getting blood out of a stone.

Hollywood130

I just don't know what to do, what's the story with these cash plans, why are they not on the suppliers website? Some of those are really cheap, and again I suppose what are the benefits of private over just going public??

Filibuster

Hollywood130 wrote: »

I just don't know what to do, what's the story with these cash plans, why are they not on the suppliers website? Some of those are really cheap, and again I suppose what are the benefits of private over just going public??

Go with Laya Healthcare at €495pa. It's the basic insurance but its just as good as the rest. You will get better care in a public teaching hospital than at a private hospital. The main thing is to just have the insurance so you can skip the queue and jumpstart your treatment.

Hollywood130

Wow, Laya have a plan for €495? My renewal is €1012, crazy... I've contacted them so waiting to hear back now

conzy

I have VHI with work, think it costs them about €1100 and costs me €250 or so in BIK..

Totally worth it as far as im concerned. Justified €1000 on car insurance for years I can surely justify similar money to insure myself!

Hollywood130

Wouldn't mind paying €250, that would be great, unfortunately I don't get it through work... I can't pay €1000 it's extortionate

SCOOP 64

conzy wrote: »

I have VHI with work, think it costs them about €1100 and costs me €250 or so in BIK..

Totally worth it as far as im concerned. Justified €1000 on car insurance for years I can surely justify similar money to insure myself!

I think we would all be happy if our work paid for it,would certainly justify it for €250.

Alf Veedersane

I pay about €500 for VHI. It's covered anything I've needed so far, including a couple of nights in hospital, ECGs, gourmet meals...

Hollywood130

Even €500 doesn't sound so bad, think I'm gona just have to give each of them a call and see what plan I can get that won't cost me an arm and a leg

Alf Veedersane

One Plan Starter is what i went with cos the person I spoke to said it'd be fine for me seeing as I was never sick but it still covered my hospital stay and all tests

Hollywood130

Would you have received the same treatment without Health Insurance Alf?

Alf Veedersane

Hollywood130 wrote: »

Would you have received the same treatment without Health Insurance Alf?

I probably would have but I'd have had to fork out for it and it'd have cost more than my insurance.