Do you have health insurance?

Bigdig69

Raconteuse wrote: »

Missing the point there.

And €720 a year is very little.

That said, you're not in the age group that's likely to get ill. You never know what could happen though.

If you let it go now while young, it will cost you more to rejoin when older and more likey to need it.

rob316

I have a pretty basic plan on laya but I wouldn't dream of not paying it. If you need to see a consultant for something potentially serious publically you will probably be dead or close before you get seen to. I wouldn't put my life or my families in the hands of the HSE.

It's a ****ing farce though we pay taxes and ye tstill can't be provided with a decent healthcare system or state subsidized health insurance.

andekwarhola

Think it's 4000 plus a year for four of us but thankfully my employer pays it.

Masala

Look at it the same way as Car Insurance. You can pay car 8nsurance for years and get no benefit. When you have a crash ... it pays out.

Same principle....

rob316

ardinn wrote: »

I suffer badly with kidney stones - one a year usually, not diet related simply they way I am before people start yapping about what I should do.

Anyway - spent 10 days in hospital one time, have had 4 operations, loads of 4-8 days in wards, got them blasted, ct's x-rays, etc etc etc every time I go in.

I have no insurance.

It costs me €100 each time I present at a&e or call an ambulance. Thats it - never been billed for another cent.

I have no idea why anyone would pay insurance, public is fine, like really really good imo.

Edit - I should also add I get seen every 4 months and have an x-ray and ultrasound, and meet with a consultant. not a penny.

Your talking about presenting at a&e with a problem that doesn't really require a consultant, we can all do that and I know the HSE is fine for that. But say you found a lump on your ball sack tomorrow, good luck you won't receive such swift care as a consultant will be needed and you will have to go on the public out patient waiting list.

Canyon86

I only got health insurance since Jan 2019, I never had it previously

Anyways in April I was rushed to hospital with my appendix which were about the burst

Very glad to have private cover when I was in a private room in no time

Masala

rob316 wrote: »

Your talking about presenting at a&e with a problem that doesn't really require a consultant, we can all do that and I know the HSE is fine for that. But say you found a lump on your ball sack tomorrow, good luck you won't receive such swift care as a consultant will be needed and you will have to go on the public out patient waiting list.

..... agree with the above. Or would u like to see your child suffer for months while u wait for a bed for him/her..??? When that happens.. you will pay every penny you have to jump the queue!!

Bigdig69

Seamai wrote: »

I've had it for over 20 years, for the first 10 I had no reason to ever use it, however once I turned 40 this changed, visits to doctors, consultants and hospitals became more commonplace.
I switched plans a few years back and can claim a lot more. A couple of years ago I developed a pilonidal sinus, which I ignored hoping it would go away after hearing loads of scary post op stories but when I finally decided to do something about it, I was in hospital and sorted within a couple of days, I've no doubt that had I not insurance I would have had to wait possibly years as the condition as uncomfortable and awkward as it is, isn't life threatening.
I can see why someone in their 20's might see it as a waste of money but should certainly be thinking about it by the mid 30's. I've had plenty of other issues where I was able to be seen for very quickly, without insurance given the state of the health service I shudder to think how long I'd have had to wait.

In this case you are having a serious, very painful medical emergency which will be prioritised by a&e. I have had kidney stones and been treated promptly in public hospitals too. But there are many other things that can go wrong which will result in you being added to long waiting lists. With health insurance you can often be treated.
quickly. As the public health system currently stands I will try very hard to keep my health insurance.

Jurgen The German

Paying about €2500 a year for myself, wife and two kids on vhi. Have had no major need for it but when called upon it has delivered, certainly when it comes to wait lists for one of the kids.

Better Than Christ

Nope. If I had kids, I probably would. Not for myself though. If anything were to 'happen' to me, it's no great practical loss to anyone, so I'm happy to take my chances.

del roy

mariaalice wrote: »

This kind of thing can upset people the cancer services in the public system is excellent its one of the things the HSE dose well, someone will not get lesser treatment just because they are in the public system that is an important point.

you would think so but its true, was told to report to Hospital on Sunday evening for a monday morning operation by consultant, St James, nurse on duty told me there were no beds available, approx 6.00pm sunday evening, went back home rang my consultant, told him the story "no beds anywhere in Hospital".


Rang me back five minutes later "eh your private go back down there is a bed for you now.
Went back down, same nurse brings me to a private ward and I had the operation next morning.


I must say it was a bit on an eye openner for me.

Atlantic Dawn

Muppet Man wrote: »

15000 euro for a one night cardiac procedure in the Maher private that I waited just 3 weeks for.

I paid 150 euro. I’ll be keeping my VHI thx.

Muppet man

Out of interest medical procedure and care aside is the room/bed setup all premium materials and nice TV with decent channels, your own phone etc? Often wondered with the private setup is it similar to a luxury hotel stay :pac:

X111111111111

Don't pay it on principle alone. I can well afford it but not going to play my part on turning our health service to sh1t.

ILoveYourVibes

X111111111111 wrote: »

Don't pay it on principle alone. I can well afford it but not going to play my part on turning our health service to sh1t.

that makes no sense ...you would helping take the pressure off the health service.

EllieB

ardinn wrote: »

I suffer badly with kidney stones - one a year usually, not diet related simply they way I am before people start yapping about what I should do.

Anyway - spent 10 days in hospital one time, have had 4 operations, loads of 4-8 days in wards, got them blasted, ct's x-rays, etc etc etc every time I go in.

I have no insurance.

It costs me €100 each time I present at a&e or call an ambulance. Thats it - never been billed for another cent.

I have no idea why anyone would pay insurance, public is fine, like really really good imo.

Edit - I should also add I get seen every 4 months and have an x-ray and ultrasound, and meet with a consultant. not a penny.

Isn’t there an €80 per night charge for public patients - capped at €800?

It’s great that you don’t feel you need insurance because you’re seen promptly for your issue. But as others have said, you could be 18+ months waiting for a colonoscopy or an MRI for a different issue. Months that could be the difference between life and death.

I had my gallbladder removed when I was 19 weeks pregnant and couldn’t fault the care I received as a public patient.
I do have Laya Healthcare, but went public for maternity as I was in no way tempted to pay an extra €3500 just for the pleasure of having the same doc at each appointment (unless she happened to be on holiday), a very slim chance of a private room and the same doc to deliver baby (again providing she wasn’t off on annual leave or attending another birth). You pay the consultant fees regardless.

If push came to shove and I had to make cutbacks, the health insurance would be the very last thing I’d get rid of.

ILoveYourVibes

EllieB wrote: »

Isn’t there an €80 per night charge for public patients - capped at €800?

.

Yep ....so effectively they are not public patients and we don't actually have a public health service. Its private.

But obviously you could be made broke by hospital stay so ..its better to have insurance.

McCrack

iamwhoiam wrote: »

I am so glad I kept ours going through thick and thin . Today I walked into Affidea clinic and got seen and prescription given and home within and hour . I think I would have curled up and died in a crowded A and E today

Lol

Eggs For Dinner

X111111111111 wrote: »

Don't pay it on principle alone. I can well afford it but not going to play my part on turning our health service to sh1t.

Well my last visit to hospital has come in for in excess of 100k. I've always had health insurance and will never let it go. Consultant told me the public waiting period was 3 years and if I had to wait 1 year, there would be no point, there was nothing he could do for me.

Our health service should be better, but I'll forego principles to look after myself

hawkelady

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Out of interest medical procedure and care aside is the room/bed setup all premium materials and nice TV with decent channels, your own phone etc? Often wondered with the private setup is it similar to a luxury hotel stay :pac:

The rooms in the beacon are as big as some apartments !! 42 inch flat screen with sky sports and movies and a full menu .... it is luxury

Burty330

iamwhoiam wrote: »

I am so glad I kept ours going through thick and thin . Today I walked into Affidea clinic and got seen and prescription given and home within and hour . I think I would have curled up and died in a crowded A and E today

Who goes to A&E for a prescription? You only to A&E if a piece of your body is hanging off.

I can go to a new walk-in doctor and leave with a prescription with 40mins.. No health insurance required.

I know all about public not being insured. Its not as bad as its made out to be. Unless you need a knee or hip operation, then there's years of waiting , but there are ways around that too without having insurance.

James Bond Junior

I just let mine lapse as I live abroad and have a medical package included. I did have it and I had a procedure which cost Aviva 4 years in premium from me. I will be able to take it back out under the same conditions once I don't leave it more than two years which is my plan. I spend €80 a month and then some on pints alone in Ireland, I'd be a dunce not to keep it going when I return.

bfa1509

ardinn wrote: »

I suffer badly with kidney stones - one a year usually, not diet related simply they way I am before people start yapping about what I should do.

Anyway - spent 10 days in hospital one time, have had 4 operations, loads of 4-8 days in wards, got them blasted, ct's x-rays, etc etc etc every time I go in.

I have no insurance.

It costs me €100 each time I present at a&e or call an ambulance. Thats it - never been billed for another cent.

I have no idea why anyone would pay insurance, public is fine, like really really good imo.

Edit - I should also add I get seen every 4 months and have an x-ray and ultrasound, and meet with a consultant. not a penny.

Exactly. Insurance is useless unless, god forbid, you get a serious long term illness.

Not only are some of the better plans very expensive, they don't include the handful of other charges you get such as consultant fees, excess charges etc. which rack up very quick.

If I had a life threatening illness/injury it's a public hospital I would want to be in because this is where all the expertise is. (You would probably be sent to a public hospital anyway). And if you find yourself in public hospital, they couldn't care less if you have health insurance. You get treated the same as anyone else.

rob316

I always hear it health insurance is a scan, car insurance is a scam, house insurance is a scam etc etc

It's not, that's the principal of insurance many of us will never need it but if we pay it it's there when we need it. It can save your life or avoid you going to the poor house.

smelly sock

The level of health care you recieve shouldnt be dictated by how rich or poor you are. I have vhi.

Eggs For Dinner

smelly sock wrote: »

The level of health care you recieve shouldnt be dictated by how rich or poor you are. I have vhi.

"shouldn't"

em_cat

molly09 wrote: »

I only heard of the affidea clinic recently, can I ask di you know anything about their MRI scans. Are they are as reputable as the beacon and Blackrock clinic?

Yes they are, their radiologists are some of the best I’ve come across during my career. I’m not saying that the HSE radiologists are bad, far from it but in terms of value, money & time for the patients Affidea are preferable. I think the insurance companies probably prefers them too, dealing with the HSE is like blood from stones.

em_cat

X111111111111 wrote: »

Don't pay it on principle alone. I can well afford it but not going to play my part on turning our health service to sh1t.

Why on earth do you think that paying for health insurance would turn the HSE to sh*t*? It’s the bureaucracy & serious amount of inefficiency that will ruin it in the long run. In the end it’s going to turn into the same system as the US and until you’ve seen and used their very expensive and often inept service that people here will get it.

heroics

Ive always had it. Company pays for the 4 of us now which is about 4K per year but paid for it mussels before that. I play a lot of sport and I’d never be without it. I can get scans etc in a couple of days where I’ve seen mates on the team wait months through the public system for an mri.

My wife had major surgery on her knee when she was 28 which would have cost a fortune. As there was monthly visits to black rock clinic all
Covered for about 18 months as well.

rob316

smelly sock wrote: »

The level of health care you recieve shouldnt be dictated by how rich or poor you are. I have vhi.

In an ideal world we all have universal healthcare but we live in a world where corporate interests are as important unfortunately

Harry Palmr

I used to for a few years then when I was impoverished after the crash I stopped, then they changed the criteria for people over a certain age (If I remember right) which put up the cost of starting again. So I've not got any, the only good thing is that as a type 1 diabetic I get everything related to that free gratis. I should have another look but better still we should have a public system fit for purpose outside of emergencies