Health insurance for children

detoxkid

What do we think, is private health insurance necessary for children? I have health insurance myself but unsure of whether to put the kids on, I have heard that children receive great care under the public system? I went public both times when pregnant and had a great experience. My newborn has to get a routine hip xray because she was beeech and she has been referred straight away with minimal wait times. I think there are huge flaws with the public system in terms of wait times etc for adults but by all accounts not for kids. .of course my kids are my life and I dont to cut corners if it is something I do need. Anyone have any views? I have two under two if that makes a difference

CarrickMcJoe

No point having it for young kids. 2 children s hospitals in Ireland with expert care and no private rooms. Your kids will get the best of, and the exact same care (as they should) whether you pay private insurance or not.

Conor Pope is forever saying this.

lazygal

We don't have it for ours. From friends' experience it seems you'll pay consultant fees regardless and the public system is perfectly adequate for children. We'll reassess when they're a few years older.

bp

Depends on level of cover. My eldest had a few health problems and went private (seen in days) and got half back from insurance. Also before free GP care I got a lot back

tuisginideach

I have had it all along for my children but we dropped the level of cover for them hugely over the last 8 years or so. My understanding is that when one was admitted to Tallaght as a 4 yr old, I got to share a private room with him (bed and fold up type bed) for 3 nights because I had health insurance. We also used it for various consultants bills but I wonder would we have been better off financially, I mean (re consultants) just claiming on Med1 without health insurance - would have been 40% at the time.

Using Swiftcare is ridiculously expensive I feel even with insurance - the €70 (last time we were there) initial 'voucher' basically gets you in the door and I paid for everything after that, including an older 'consultant' who we 'had' to go to see a week after incident who didn't know which hand had a broken finger (obviously hadn't looked at file at all) and who looked as if he had stumbled out of bed in a hurry.

LegacyUser

For what it's worth we have vhi for our child, last year she fell and split her chin open, she was patched up with steri-strips and we were told publicly she'd be waiting a week to be seen or privately we could get an appointment the following morning, we went private and she was seen 9am the next morning, as it turns out we were lucky she didn't need stitches (it was 50-50 if she did or not) so the hospital treated her, patched her up properly, gave us a load of steri-strips for the next few weeks and information and sent us home, But her policy covered it all for us,


Since then it's nice having the piece of mind knowing she's covered for the things kids do (breaking bones, splitting themselves open...etc) and since we've had to use it I'm grateful all the more for it, especially considering her scarring is almost gone completely because it was seen to quicker imo....

cyning

CarrickMcJoe wrote: »

No point having it for young kids. 2 children s hospitals in Ireland with expert care and no private rooms. Your kids will get the best of, and the exact same care (as they should) whether you pay private insurance or not.

Conor Pope is forever saying this.

This is just not true unfortunately. Yes if your child has something seriously wrong but not otherwise.

If your child needs to see a paediatric immunologist the waiting time publicly is up to 2 years. 9 months privately.

Grommets can take up to 2 years. It took 2 weeks for us privately.

Baby with a tongue tie affecting feeding? About 4 months publicly. 8 days privately.

A routine paediatric appt after an a&e visit? 18 weeks publicly. Same day when I changed privately.

Routine cardiology appt for a 18 month old fainting and losing consciousness? 7 months publicly (and no guarantee of an echo that day: could have taken up to 18 months). 6 weeks privately and it was only so long as I couldn't take the first appt in 3 weeks. Echo done that day too.

And there are private children's wards in private hospitals: I've been on one 11 times in the last 3 years between 2 kids.

So in my experience take out health insurance for your kids. God forbid they get something seriously wrong yes the care will be identical. Otherwise it just isn't.

Call me Al

Agree with cyning. Like with most things it isn't a problem until it's your problem.
The service your child will receive will no doubt be very good in the public system.
The issue is the waiting times to be seen for mant procedures.
For example adenotonsilectomy. There was an 18+month waiting list on the public system, but he was seen and treated in 1 month with my health insurance paying.
We've had other stuff too where we have been able to avoid waiting months with our child for attention by seeing a consultant and paying privately and then reclaiming some of the fees from our insurance.

detoxkid

I know it probably varies by procedure/ consultant but is it very expensive to go private without health insurance?

cyning

detoxkid wrote: »

I know it probably varies by procedure/ consultant but is it very expensive to go private without health insurance?

Grommets cost between €1500 and €2000. Echo and ecg and consultant were about €700. Tongue Tie would have been €250. 5 nights in a private hosp with X-rays, kidney scans etc in the region of €5000 in a private room. Plus all the follow ups with consultants about €100 each go.

LegacyUser

I don't know, interesting to hear other viewpoints. Our little one is on our insurance, but she had to have a consultant visit at about 3 months in the Orthopaedic clinic in Temple St, for potential torticullis (?). Due to a mix-up in the GP, referral letters were sent to both the private and public clinics in Temple St. We got appointments in both, and there was about 1.5 weeks in the difference of the timing of the appointments. Which made me really wonder.....

Health insurance still means you fork out at least 150eur for your consultancy visit anyway. Only some of which you can claim back. Seriously, it's a desperate rip-off, made worse because many of the same consultants cover public and private practices.

Anyway, I think we will certainly keep the insurance but just downgrade it a lot for her. The only other thing I will say is that as they get older, if they're on insurance all along, then it cuts out waiting times for them once they transfer to their own insurance, or start paying for their own insurance. Never bothered with the Swiftcare clinics.

Pity we can't do the same individually as adults. Does my husband really need to be paying for maternity cover as part of his health insurance cover?!!!

cyning

Downgrading insurance can be more expensive in the long run. Like the plan my girls are on gives me 75% of consultant visits back and I can claim 20% of the remainder on the med1. So for every €100 I spend I get €80 back. Plus I get my parking covered if they are in hosp for 3 days. If I had a plan with no out patient benefits it wouldn't be worth it.

heldel00

This is going back a bit but I'd say is still relevant.
Many moons ago my cousin and I ended getting appendix out within a month of each other. My parents had health insurance for me, hers didn't. Consultant operated on me, work experience student must have operated on her!
Fast forward to a holiday a few years later and I remember looking at this horrible "dinge" (for want of a better word) in her side. When I asked her what it was she said "sure it's my appendix scar".
You can barely see mine. It is no more than 2 inches long. Need I say more.

January

heldel00 wrote: »

This is going back a bit but I'd say is still relevant.
Many moons ago my cousin and I ended getting appendix out within a month of each other. My parents had health insurance for me, hers didn't. Consultant operated on me, work experience student must have operated on her!
Fast forward to a holiday a few years later and I remember looking at this horrible "dinge" (for want of a better word) in her side. When I asked her what it was she said "sure it's my appendix scar".
You can barely see mine. It is no more than 2 inches long. Need I say more.

Not always indicative of the calibre of surgeon that operates on you. My daughter had open heart surgery and you can barely see her scar nearly two years on. It's so neat and faded. She was a public patient.

I'd definitely go for health insurance if you can afford it, my daughter has been waiting 3 years on a public list to see a cardiologist even though her sister has a confirmed CHD.

tuisginideach

cyning wrote: »

Downgrading insurance can be more expensive in the long run. Like the plan my girls are on gives me 75% of consultant visits back and I can claim 20% of the remainder on the med1. So for every €100 I spend I get €80 back. Plus I get my parking covered if they are in hosp for 3 days. If I had a plan with no out patient benefits it wouldn't be worth it.

But do you not have an excess to pay first?

RentDayBlues

January wrote: »

I'd definitely go for health insurance if you can afford it, my daughter has been waiting 3 years on a public list to see a cardiologist even though her sister has a confirmed CHD.

That is crazy!

We have health insurance, would be last thing to go if we needed to tighten our belts. Our first needed grommets, from referal to surgery was 3 weeks. When we asked consultant he said his public waiting list was 18 months

cyning

tuisginideach wrote: »

But do you not have an excess to pay first?

€1.

January

RentDayBlues wrote: »

That is crazy!

We have health insurance, would be last thing to go if we needed to tighten our belts. Our first needed grommets, from referal to surgery was 3 weeks. When we asked consultant he said his public waiting list was 18 months

Yes, it's very crazy. We've waited two years on an ENT waiting list (we thought grommets too but she just needed her ears cleaned out under GA as she had impacted wax), we were sent privately funded by the HSE in the end, had the consultation and referred back to public hospital for the procedure and because it wasn't performed within six months of seeing the consultant we were brought back privately for the procedure then again.

I could go on, we waited 11 months to see a paed.

cyning

January wrote: »

Yes, it's very crazy. We've waited two years on an ENT waiting list (we thought grommets too but she just needed her ears cleaned out under GA as she had impacted wax), we were sent privately funded by the HSE in the end, had the consultation and referred back to public hospital for the procedure and because it wasn't performed within six months of seeing the consultant we were brought back privately for the procedure then again.

I could go on, we waited 11 months to see a paed.

This is utterly disgraceful. It just shouldn't happen.

cassid

My son had his adneoids out 3 years ago and they have grown back so needs more surgery. Public waiting list is 23 months, we got a private appointment in 2 weeks. He also has to see another specialist, the public list is 2 and 1/2 years, got appointment today for 2 weeks away.

Another child was under public eye clinic for 4 years and discharged, failed the school eye sight exam, rang the clinic and they said the waiting list for new patients even though he is returning patient is over 2 years, he got seen to privately in one month.

There is a huge difference in waiting times between private and public, there is a difference in rooms in the public hospitals and in neonatal units and a difference to the specialist you are assigned. Spent 12 weeks in a single room which made a huge difference as could pull the mattress right beside the cot rather than sleep in a chair in the main public ward.

We have medical insurance for my children for 9 years and have used it alot and would not be without it.

RainyDay

cassid wrote: »

there is a difference in rooms in the public hospitals and in neonatal units

I agree with most of your posts, but I thought there were no private neonatal care units - only in public hospitals like Holles St?

cassid

There are no private neonatal units in Ireland, but there are private/semi private and public sections within some units. The main high dependency unit is public but step down care is often divided into different sections. The rotunda has a 5 bed section for those who has medical insurance but if you don't , your baby goes to the 13 bed public section. Space is a issue for all the Dublin neonatal units , in the 5 bed in the Rotunda, you can get two chairs comfortably beside an incubator but it can be very tight in the 13 bed and lucky to get one chair, if you are there for months it can make a difference, having a little space around the incubator especially if you are there every day all day.

Also the consultant allocated to your baby can vary, when you are fully private your baby gets allocated the most senior consultant. Thats not to say, consultants would not reviews all babies but if you attend out patient clinics, you have the same consultant the whole way through, until discharged at 2 or earlier depending on gestation. If you are public, your baby can be seen by any doctor on call to do the out patient clinic.

Its good for the neonatal units to be able to charge insurers, for prems with long stays, bills are in their thousands, which is an important source of income for the unit. Be interesting to see how or if even the new neonatal units will be arranged when moved to their new locations.

heldel00

Isn't it all so bloody wrong when you think about it? Reading out the posts to my husband as we look at our little 4 month old and he used a word I haven't heard in years - vexing!

uck51js9zml2yt

Have 2 kids and both have insurance which has been used.
One needed grommets and was done privately followed up by major ear surgery twice private and public.
The other has seen a cardiologist privately with the insurance paying the fee directly. there was a 3 month difference between public and private. We ended up getting his surgery done abroad quicker then here and are getting follow up privately in Dublin.

For 250 each a year we wouldn't be without it. Its well paid for.

Millem

Just seeing this now. I would never not have health insurance for my son.
If money is tight vhi have all one plans half price for kids at the mo. So it is just over €100-€150 max for plan but very little day to day. Children can be with vhi by themselves without adults

Op if an adult signs up with certain glo health plans kids under 3 go free. If you go through Cornmarket they will give you a discount of 5% they recommended "better active"

I have my guy with laya simply connect plus, €1 excess for day to day and get 50% back of up to €1000, including dentist and optician. A lot of plans give you a cap on certain categories. There are ones that you can claim more but they were double the price. I actually emailed Dermot Goode just before I renewed.

Day to day benefits are instant regardless of pre-conditions on health insurance policies

Lady is a tramp

I have it for my son (he's two), haven't had to use it much yet but it gives me peace of mind to know it's there. It was free for his first year anyways, and half price since then with VHI.

The plan I had covered €40 towards GP visits, which was handy before free care for under 6s came in. Also it covered a €100 baby massage course which I did when he was a couple of months old - hardly a necessity, but a nice way to meet local mums and babies! It also covered a €100 trip to Temple St A&E one night when he had a high temperature.

I have to say I've found the VHI Nurseline absolutely useless any time I've ever tried it.

worded

Everyone I know has cancelled their insurance cover.
Insurance cover for kids is a joke with no private hospital
My Czech friend calls the consultants the White coated mafia. There was uproar there when the natives were asked to pay 1 euro for doc visits, it was free.

The money saved will be used to pay cash to consultants if need be

I'm off on a holiday soon comp of the money i saved from cancelling my policy
I will feel way healthier after it

worded

http://www.nhs24.com/selfhelpguide/bodymap/?ref=BodyMap

This is excellent for diags

NHS

Millem

worded wrote: »

Everyone I know has cancelled their insurance cover.
Insurance cover for kids is a joke with no private hospital
My Czech friend calls the consultants the White coated mafia. There was uproar there when the natives were asked to pay 1 euro for doc visits, it was free.

The money saved will be used to pay cash to consultants if need be

I'm off on a holiday soon comp of the money i saved from cancelling my policy
I will feel way healthier after it

Sorry but I have to disagree with you, the beacon, mater private and blacktock clinic all have childrens' wards.
I was told at my renewal that any procedures that are routine or not life threatening are happening in the private hospitals. They said temple street, crumlin are tallaght are just too busy so the wait is longer.

cyning

worded wrote: »

Everyone I know has cancelled their insurance cover.
Insurance cover for kids is a joke with no private hospital
My Czech friend calls the consultants the White coated mafia. There was uproar there when the natives were asked to pay 1 euro for doc visits, it was free.

The money saved will be used to pay cash to consultants if need be

I'm off on a holiday soon comp of the money i saved from cancelling my policy
I will feel way healthier after it

I don't know if you read my earlier post but what you are saying just isn't true. It is most definitely not a joke. The Bons have private children's wards too. Paying 100 for a consultant might seem like no big deal but paying €2000 for grommets for a child who just can't hear plus €120 for an initial consult, and follow ups at 6 weeks, 3 months, 12 months and 18 months is. Plus many children need a second set and about 15% need a 3rd set. So you are talking potentially up to what €8000? That's not a holiday.

Obviously nobody wants to use their health insurance. I'd love to be able to say god it's such a waste of money etc... But it's too late to take it out once a problem is identified.

Millem

Something to consider if don't have health insurance (but it requires cash) is if you are on a waiting list for hse, you can go up the north of Ireland and pay yourself and hse will refund you an agreed sum. The amount is what it would cost in Irish hospital through hse. It's called something like the "cross boarder agreement".

My nephew in first year has just gotten assessment for braces, current wait time is 3 years to get the braces. They said he will only need them for 18 months. hse told him they will refund €1750 if he goes to the north. His parents didn't want to go to the north and would prefer to get them done locally. They cost around £2k in the north. Hse won't refund €1750 if you pay privately in Ireland madness! The dentist said it will cost €4K in Ireland but they can claim 20% back from tax.

http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/cbd/about/What_is_Cross_Border_Health_Care.html