Health insurance/private healthcare and covid 19

Insurance will be up for renewal soon. With all private hospitals now gone public and a one tier system how’s that going to work with health insurance premiums? Surely they can’t charge the normal extortionate rates when they can’t provide the service? Has anyone renewed recently?

odyssey06

There was vague talk of some sort of premium rebate during the crisis. Nothing concrete yet.

There are implications for waiting periods in future 12-24 months etc if you are longer than 13 weeks without cover, although again that might be something that is waived (though that hasn't been mentioned in news articles).

Any update on this? My renewal is due tomorrow, 11th, and I'm not quite sure why I should pay it if private hospitals no longer exist, and won't for some time to come, it appears.

As above, I can at least go 13 weeks without cover before I'm penalised.

machiavellianme

Deleted User wrote: »

Any update on this? My renewal is due tomorrow, 11th, and I'm not quite sure why I should pay it if private hospitals no longer exist, and won't for some time to come, it appears.

As above, I can at least go 13 weeks without cover before I'm penalised.

13 weeks is the limit at the moment.
Mine was due 12 weeks ago so I'll renew over the weekend.

noa2020

Hi,

I know I’ll be able to get an answer tomorrow morning when I can call the secretary but does anyone know generally if private consultants are still working from private rooms and if so are they doing consultations in person or over telephone/zoom?

I’ve been reading about private consultants converting to public to help with COVID-19 but also issues with contracts. I’m aware actual procedures aren’t being completed but was just wondering about consultations? I am a current patient of the consultant and am scheduled to see her next month for a check-up but would be looking to get an appointment ASAP for an issue coming back.

Many thanks,

FloatingVoter

Mine saw me in her public office in SJH last week (at her own request). She was seeing others as well. Mainly to cancel routine tests and renew prescriptions. She was obviously knee deep in the C19 problem and basically clearing her books. I got the high-risk letter there - I think that's why she was calling us in. I only saw the patient before me (elderly gent north of 70 needing assistance on his feet).
So yes, they are. And as I left James, a lady was hobbling out on crutches for a fag, reminding me that life and injury goes on despite this thing.
All the consultants and professors and wizards will be frontline but won't forget their own priorities.

In my example,I'd imagine she tops her field internationally but would be getting in the way of an experienced ICU nurse.

codrulz

Hi, my friend's father is a private consultant.
I know they have been shut now for a few weeks and are not seeing any patients in their rooms.

noa2020

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Mine saw me in her public office in SJH last week (at her own request). She was seeing others as well. Mainly to cancel routine tests and renew prescriptions. She was obviously knee deep in the C19 problem and basically clearing her books. I got the high-risk letter there - I think that's why she was calling us in. I only saw the patient before me (elderly gent north of 70 needing assistance on his feet).
So yes, they are. And as I left James, a lady was hobbling out on crutches for a fag, reminding me that life and injury goes on despite this thing.
All the consultants and professors and wizards will be frontline but won't forget their own priorities.

In my example,I'd imagine she tops her field internationally but would be getting in the way of an experienced ICU nurse.

Great to know, thanks for the info

noa2020

codrulz wrote: »

Hi, my friend's father is a private consultant.
I know they have been shut now for a few weeks and are not seeing any patients in their rooms.

oh okay, maybe it depends on the consultant? or maybe they’re just clearing their books as FloatingVoter said.

Sure I’ll give a call in the morning anyway and see if I get anywhere.

Thanks!

Anyone renewed since?

jcon1913

SnowyMuckish wrote: »

Insurance will be up for renewal soon. With all private hospitals now gone public and a one tier system how’s that going to work with health insurance premiums? Surely they can’t charge the normal extortionate rates when they can’t provide the service? Has anyone renewed recently?

I’d expect a credit for the period where VHI and the rest of the private insurers did not have to pay out anything. The Government is paying the private sector to treat private patients I believe so why should people with private health insurance pay their premiums when the costs are all paid already?

randomname2005

jcon1913 wrote: »

I’d expect a credit for the period where VHI and the rest of the private insurers did not have to pay out anything. The Government is paying the private sector to treat private patients I believe so why should people with private health insurance pay their premiums when the costs are all paid already?

There are other services, online gp and nurse line, walk in clinics, that people can still use so not all costs already paid. Would expect some credit though

jcon1913

randomname2005 wrote: »

There are other services, online gp and nurse line, walk in clinics, that people can still use so not all costs already paid. Would expect some credit though

So what percentage of the private insurance budget would go towards the services still operating? 5%,2% maybe?

noa2020

Just an update, no problem getting an appointment and saw her yesterday. Hospital seemed busy enough with check ins and lots of theatre staff about the place. Paid the usual fee too.

mvl

had a tele consultation for a follow up just the other day: didn't have to travel / waste time in the waiting room, paid bit less than the F2F one - pretty happy about the setup.

looking back at my private insurance needs, maybe I am not a big user of private hospitals, but I am defo using private consultants - so absolutely no thoughts about giving my private insurance up, nor decrease the level.

cudsy1

hi all: in light of 3 month rebates, which apparently will apply to new customers, is now a good time to start a policy? i will be 35 in 10 months. thanks

phill106

cudsy1 wrote: »

hi all: in light of 3 month rebates, which apparently will apply to new customers, is now a good time to start a policy? i will be 35 in 10 months. thanks

I would recommend it anyway. Insurance loading will just get worse as youget older, as well as the waiting time increase before you can get cover for various ailments.

take everything

Not sure if there's a thread on this.

I'm paying VHI every month.
Is there any talk of a rebate for private health insurance at the moment.

I know there's talk of it for motor insurance but surely there's a greater case to be made for private health insurance since private hospitals are now public. People with private health insurance don't receive any real benefit over public patients now.

Beasty

Threads merged

I got an email from Irish Health to say they are refunding some of the cost until June

amber2

Laya are offering a refund total of €195 per adult and €60 per child being spilt into 3 instalments, refunded between end of April to June.

skitzyspider

It was announced a week ago that health insurance companies would be issuing rebates to their customers due to the fact that the Government has taken control of the private hospitals for the foreseeable future. Firstly, I am glad the private hospitals have been allocated to help during the pandemic as everybody should be treated equally.

I am not happy with the fact that my health insurer Irish Life have yet to issue a rebate or even tell me how much of a rebate I am even entitled to. It states on their website that they are issuing rebates of between 17% - 60% depending on what plan/level of cover you have. VHI have stated that all their customers will be getting an average of 50% back.

Irish life have stated the following on the q&a section of their website:

“ Why am I not getting my full month’s premium refunded to me?
There are different factors that make up your premium some of which will not change during this period:

1. The government health insurance levy is required by legislation to still be paid during this period. The cost of the levy for policies that renewed before April 1st is €444 for an advanced plan (with more than 66% access to any Private Cover) and €177 for a non-advanced plan (which provides for largely public hospital cover).

2. Health insurance customers will continue to be charged, (through their health insurer) for treatments for private care in public hospitals; psychiatric care - both inpatient and outpatient; maternity care and a range of other services. In addition, health insurance customers will pay the statutory public hospital charge if attending the 18 Private hospitals that are now part of this agreement.”


I rang Irish life today and they could not even tell me how much of a rebate I am entitled to or when to expect the rebate. I was informed by Irish life that they still have to pay the government levy and that I would still have access to public healthcare, digital doctor and some other useless fillers to make it seem like I am getting value for money! Surely the government should waive a percentage of the the €444 health insurance levy for as long as they have taken over the private hospitals?

Has anybody received a rebate from their health insurance company or has anybody received correspondence from their health insurance companies outlining how much of a rebate they will be getting? It seems like even 50% rebates are not enough as when you remove the access to private hospitals and the fact that all non emergency surgeries, day cases, scans etc are all cancelled, to keep paying even 50% of your normal policy does not seem value for money at all.

PopTarts

amber2 wrote: »

Laya are offering a refund total of €195 per adult and €60 per child being spilt into 3 instalments, refunded between end of April to June.

Laya would have been better offering a % to members. Unfair that those on the lowest plan would get same as those on the highest plan.

skitzyspider

skitzyspider wrote: »

It was announced a week ago that health insurance companies would be issuing rebates to their customers due to the fact that the Government has taken control of the private hospitals for the foreseeable future. Firstly, I am glad the private hospitals have been allocated to help during the pandemic as everybody should be treated equally.

I am not happy with the fact that my health insurer Irish Life have yet to issue a rebate or even tell me how much of a rebate I am even entitled to. It states on their website that they are issuing rebates of between 17% - 60% depending on what plan/level of cover you have. VHI have stated that all their customers will be getting an average of 50% back.

Irish life have stated the following on the q&a section of their website:

“ Why am I not getting my full month’s premium refunded to me?
There are different factors that make up your premium some of which will not change during this period:

1. The government health insurance levy is required by legislation to still be paid during this period. The cost of the levy for policies that renewed before April 1st is €444 for an advanced plan (with more than 66% access to any Private Cover) and €177 for a non-advanced plan (which provides for largely public hospital cover).

2. Health insurance customers will continue to be charged, (through their health insurer) for treatments for private care in public hospitals; psychiatric care - both inpatient and outpatient; maternity care and a range of other services. In addition, health insurance customers will pay the statutory public hospital charge if attending the 18 Private hospitals that are now part of this agreement.”


I rang Irish life today and they could not even tell me how much of a rebate I am entitled to or when to expect the rebate. I was informed by Irish life that they still have to pay the government levy and that I would still have access to public healthcare, digital doctor and some other useless fillers to make it seem like I am getting value for money! Surely the government should waive a percentage of the the €444 health insurance levy for as long as they have taken over the private hospitals?

Has anybody received a rebate from their health insurance company or has anybody received correspondence from their health insurance companies outlining how much of a rebate they will be getting? It seems like even 50% rebates are not enough as when you remove the access to private hospitals and the fact that all non emergency surgeries, day cases, scans etc are all cancelled, to keep paying even 50% of your normal policy does not seem value for money at all.

Same boat. An email about rebate, vast differences in percentages offered. My money is on getting the lowest mentioned and nothing heard from them since. I’ll think seriously about renewing next time.

mvl

PopTarts wrote: »

Laya would have been better offering a % to members. Unfair that those on the lowest plan would get same as those on the highest plan.

Agreed. I am curios how they would handle the ones that pay Laya extra, on top of the company provided plans - they've said it takes longer to analyze.

skitzyspider

Spoke to a manager in Irish Life today on the phone. They said they do not know what % each plan is getting back yet (supposedly it’s between 17% to 60% depending on the plan you are on) and they do not know when customers will receive written confirmation and they have no date for when the rebates will issue. Basically they are not contacting customers to update them and have no figures or date as to when you will get your rebate but you are expected to keep paying your FULL policy while they take their time deciding on when to contact us. My parents also received their Irish life renewal in the post quoting the FULL policy amount for the year with no reductions or mention of a rebate :mad: They are just expecting people to hand over the money for the full years policy without even a mention of what’s going on! Anybody else having any luck getting confirmation/rebates from their health insurers?

Darwin

In same boat here too, got that email from Irish Life Health. Funny that Aviva who are Irish Life Health are also not part of the motor insurance consortium who have agreed to give refunds to customers. Hoping that might change soon as Liberty are now on board too.

Quackster

First €65 monthly rebate from Laya landed into my account this morning. Happy days.

Quackster

Darwin wrote: »

In same boat here too, got that email from Irish Life Health. Funny that Aviva who are Irish Life Health are also not part of the motor insurance consortium who have agreed to give refunds to customers. Hoping that might change soon as Liberty are now on board too.

Aviva Health was sold to Irish Life a few years ago and rebranded. Irish Life is owned by a Canadian company. There is no longer any connection between Irish Life Health and Aviva.

skitzyspider

Quackster wrote: »

First €65 monthly rebate from Laya landed into my account this morning. Happy days.

I know Laya announced rebates of €195 (€65 a month for 3 months) but is this dependent on what plan you are on or does everybody get the same rebate?

Irish Life are showing their true colours at the moment and can’t even inform their customers how much they will be getting back and when they will getting the rebate. They state rebates are between 17% to 60% depending on the plan you are on but the way they are being so shady, I’d say we will be lucky to even get The lowest amount 17% back. Seriously considering leaving them and moving to Laya or VHI as soon as I’m due for renewal.

mvl

skitzyspider wrote: »

I know Laya announced rebates of €195 (€65 a month for 3 months) but is this dependent on what plan you are on or does everybody get the same rebate?

there are scenarios where members get part of 195 (when employer contributes to their insurance). its described here - https://www.layahealthcare.ie/coronavirus/financialsupport/
- seeing now they announced "If hospitals return to normal before the end of June, we’ll need to revise the monthly instalment accordingly."

This is it

I'm with Irish Life but a majority of it is paid by my company. I'm not sure what I'll get back from BIK and on the small percentage I pay.

Wondering about car insurance and motor tax too. Tax is up at the end of the month and I won't be paying it if I'm not driving the car, €750 for the year so I'll declare it off the road for a month or two I think.

2smiggy

skitzyspider wrote: »

I know Laya announced rebates of €195 (€65 a month for 3 months) but is this dependent on what plan you are on or does everybody get the same rebate?

Irish Life are showing their true colours at the moment and can’t even inform their customers how much they will be getting back and when they will getting the rebate. They state rebates are between 17% to 60% depending on the plan you are on but the way they are being so shady, I’d say we will be lucky to even get The lowest amount 17% back. Seriously considering leaving them and moving to Laya or VHI as soon as I’m due for renewal.

Laya private users all get the same, €65 a month for 3 months, per user. Better than nothing, but well less than what I pay per month.

My car tax is very high, as is my insurance, just a fast jap car. Would be as interested seeing a bit back from that

skitzyspider

Still no rebate from Irish Life. I haven’t even received any correspondence from them. I have rang a few times and they cannot even tell me how much of a rebate I will be getting and they refuse to give even a rough time frame as to when they will be contacting customers. Spoke to a few other people with Irish life and they are having the same experience. Irish Life will lose a lot of customers over this, myself included. Everybody I’ve spoke to with Laya has received their rebate. Anybody with VHI have any luck?

Mebuntu

skitzyspider wrote: »

Anybody with VHI have any luck?

Not a squeak. This month's premium just debitted - no reduction/refund.

skitzyspider

Mebuntu wrote: »

Not a squeak. This month's premium just debitted - no reduction/refund.

Looks like Laya will be getting an influx of new customers next year! Irish Life and VHI are taking the piss. I’m still being direct debited the full amount every month too. It’s ridiculous, we are still paying full whack for a service that is non existent for the foreseeable future. If we missed a payment they wouldn’t be long about contacting us but it’s alright for them to keep taking our money for a service they are not providing.

snowgal

I got notice from VHI last month that there will be reduction the amount from the 15th May onwards. Of course mine just went out on Friday so Ive missed this months. But for the next 3 months I should see the reduction....In fairness, I do think they are very slow to introduce this. It should have been done in April.

looksee

I got an email from VHI last month which stated (among other stuff):

In recognition of this, Vhi will waive a percentage of your premium for a three month period, effective from the 15th of May onwards. This will range from 45% to 60% depending on your plan(s). Your direct debit will automatically reflect this change and we’ll send you a new interim payment schedule, so you don’t need to do anything. Please note, if the private hospital agreement is shortened or extended the waiver will be adjusted accordingly.

Also I have just renewed my car tax and you can't take your car off the road for less than 3 months.

This is it

looksee wrote: »

Also I have just renewed my car tax and you can't take your car off the road for less than 3 months.

Yep, I was hoping to take mine off for a month or two. Between that and the extra they charge for 3 or 6 month increments on tax, it's a pain in the arse.

mirrorwall14

Can anyone help on what exactly is happening with the private hospitals? I had surgery scheduled for the start of April. It had been a seven month wait privately for the first appointment. The public waiting list is over 2 years. I don’t know what I do. Do I sit tight? Or do I try and get my name onto the public list? It’s incredibly frustrating to have been so close and then for it to be taken out of my hands

VillageIdiot71

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Can anyone help on what exactly is happening with the private hospitals? I had surgery scheduled for the start of April. It had been a seven month wait privately for the first appointment. The public waiting list is over 2 years. I don’t know what I do. Do I sit tight? Or do I try and get my name onto the public list? It’s incredibly frustrating to have been so close and then for it to be taken out of my hands

Unfortunatel, it looks like Simon won't admit that the public system doesn't need the capacity, and wants to hold onto the space.

What that means for private work is anyone's guess.

https://extra.ie/2020/05/16/news/irish-news/private-hospitals-patient-numbers

Itssoeasy

Got a notification on a change to my policy for the next three months and it's a total of 157 Euro until September 1st. That's not bad honestly.

This is it

Got an email today from Irish Life but since it's through work there are no details on the amount

Deiselurker

The deal with the private hospitals has been a waste of money as there are plenty beds available in the public hospitals now. It's good that the admissions to hospitals were not as bad as feared but now this deal is leading to a backlog of work coming down the line as there is very little being done at the moment in both public and private hospitals . There's a lot of worried and unhappy people who have paid for their policies but cannot get procedures done and some are in a lot of pain.

Millem

I just checked my direct debits. My Vhi payment for June had been reduced by approximately 50-55% I think! I have good day to day on mine.
My Dad got a letter in the post his premium is getting reduced by 60%.
He is on one of those very outdated expensive plans that has terrible day to day on it.

My vhi dental insurance premium apparently is being reduced by 30% for the month of June (I pay in full so presume they will give me a cheque).
I received my renewal for my dental insurance, I am unsure if the premium includes a covid reduction!

skitzyspider

Still no rebates from Irish Life. I haven’t even received an email or letter telling me the amount I will receive back.

I was recently in a lot of pain due to an ongoing condition and rang to try and get an appointment with my consultant in the private hospital that I usually attend him at. I was told that due to the pandemic that he was not doing consultations unless it was deemed an emergency/absolutely necessary. I was told I would be triaged over the phone. Another consultant who works with my consultant rang me and deemed it was necessary that I been seen as I needed to be examined and have scans/tests done. The secretary then rang me and I was given an appointment straight away for the next day but I was informed that I would have to pay over the phone and I would have to pay an Emergency A&E fee of €150 (repeat consultations with my consultant are usually €100 and I am attending this consultant for over 2 years) even though I was not seeing my consultant in an A&E Department, I was seeing him by appointment the next day in his usual rooms where I always see him. I informed the secretary that it was unfair that I had to pay more to see my consultant because it was deemed a necessary appointment that could not be done over zoom/phone as it was necessary that I be examined and I was seeing my consultant in his usual rooms. I was not attending A&E so I should not be charged an A&E fee!!! I assume that they are charging private patients extra to put the private patients off attending the private hospital which is appalling. I made a complaint but I still had to pay the extra money as I was in a lot of pain and worried that if I didn’t attend it could be very dangerous for my health.

While I have no problem with the private hospitals being used publicly to help during the Pandemic, the private patients are getting treated like ****.
I have since found out that a family friend who was on a public waiting list for a very simple procedure that was not urgent and not causing any health problems and not causing any pain (a cosmetic procedure for a condition that was annoying but not painful and posed no risk to his health) was given an appointment in the same private hospital to have his procedure done as they are using the private hospital theatres to clear up the backlog on the public waiting lists.
While I have no problem with the private hospitals being used to help public patients who are in a lot of pain and waiting years for surgery or public patients waiting on urgent surgeries, I also know a lot of private patients who are also in a lot of pain and their surgeries were cancelled with no sign of them being rescheduled. I also know of a cancer patient who was receiving chemo in a private hospital and her chemo was cut short and her last few sessions cancelled due to the private hospitals being taken over by the government. That poor chemo patient ended up in a public A&E a few weeks later and has since found out that her cancer has spread since her chemo was cut short. I’m sure there are plenty of horror stories from both public and private patients. It is disgraceful that the private hospitals are being used for routine public procedures to clear backlogs when there are both public and private patients waiting on urgent surgeries and cancer treatments.

I am absolutely disgusted that I got charged extra to see my private consultant when I was triaged over the phone and deemed that it was necessary that I attend. Just before anybody asks why I did not go to a public A&E for free, my consultant only works privately in this particular private hospital and the local public hospital is not equipped to deal with my condition as they do not have the equipment for the scans and tests I need. I don’t want to go into details about my health condition but it causes me a lot of pain and if a flare up gets out of control without intervention, it could cause serious permanent damage. I have another consultant in another private hospital and I have been able to still get private appointments with him no problem, paying his standard private consultant fee but the other private hospital is taking the piss overcharging private patients.

Are there any other private patients having health troubles and unable to get appointments or being charged extra in the private hospitals even though the private hospitals are essentially public hospitals at the moment?

mirrorwall14

I had waited over six months to be seen privately for suspected endometriosis. Finally got seen in February. Due for surgery April 4th. Cancelled. I'm still in pain. And no idea what I'm supposed to do. Do I need to go on the public waiting lists? I'm told they are two years long, surely I will be able to have my surgery before then? I'm so frustrated and struggling with heavy pain meds every fortnight or so with two kids. Its mental and the lack of information is soul destroying.

Millem

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I had waited over six months to be seen privately for suspected endometriosis. Finally got seen in February. Due for surgery April 4th. Cancelled. I'm still in pain. And no idea what I'm supposed to do. Do I need to go on the public waiting lists? I'm told they are two years long, surely I will be able to have my surgery before then? I'm so frustrated and struggling with heavy pain meds every fortnight or so with two kids. Its mental and the lack of information is soul destroying.

Mirrorwall that is awful, are there any consultants still operating privately? A family member needs to see a dermatologist and got an appointment privately. He didn’t have much choice but there are still a handful offering private appointments.

antodeco

This is it wrote: »

Yep, I was hoping to take mine off for a month or two. Between that and the extra they charge for 3 or 6 month increments on tax, it's a pain in the arse.

You can declare it off the road for 3 months, but then tax it a month later, so it was only off for 1 month if you want. There's a minimum 3 months on the system, but nothing stopping you going back in after a month or 2 again

mirrorwall14

Millem wrote: »

Mirrorwall that is awful, are there any consultants still operating privately? A family member needs to see a dermatologist and got an appointment privately. He didn’t have much choice but there are still a handful offering private appointments.

Consultations seem to be pretty ok, its the surgery thats the problem. I've got onto my local TD and he's contacting the health minister about it

Pang

I got a letter today about the rebate from Irish Life but it did not actually tell me what percentage I am getting back. Infuriating.