which health insurance

LegacyUser

i'm with BUPA, 34 a month, just wondering if there's a better deal.

there's a new player in the market, ye know the ad with the dude buying a newspaper, anyone know there name?

DaBreno

paperclip wrote:

i'm with BUPA, 34 a month, just wondering if there's a better deal.

there's a new player in the market, ye know the ad with the dude buying a newspaper, anyone know there name?

Ive used Bupa a lot in the last couple of years. No complaints and theyre cheaper than VHI. As far as I can recall, they have raised there monthly rates by about 8 yoyos in the 5 years Im with them.

Kernel32

I choose other because I am in the US. It costs $1150 a month to cover my family, myself, wife and son. Luckily I only pay $215 a month and the rest is paid by my employer. I never had health insurance when I lived in Ireland, didn't see the need really. What kind of stuff do VHI and Bupa actually pay for? As an example with my US insurance a normal doctors visit for a simple checkup would run about $120, with insurance I pay $15. You basically still have to pay a bit of everything but a much smaller amount and the insurance picks up the rest. Same for perscriptions, hospital visits etc. Does having Bupa or VHI reduce your medical costs or simply act as an insurance againist a possible big illness?

LegacyUser

depends what plan you're with, mine just seems to cover hospital stay.

Kernel32 wrote:

I choose other because I am in the US. It costs $1150 a month to cover my family, myself, wife and son. Luckily I only pay $215 a month and the rest is paid by my employer. I never had health insurance when I lived in Ireland, didn't see the need really. What kind of stuff do VHI and Bupa actually pay for? As an example with my US insurance a normal doctors visit for a simple checkup would run about $120, with insurance I pay $15. You basically still have to pay a bit of everything but a much smaller amount and the insurance picks up the rest. Same for perscriptions, hospital visits etc. Does having Bupa or VHI reduce your medical costs or simply act as an insurance againist a possible big illness?

WizZard

Check out HSA. Very good.

The_Conductor

Kernel32 wrote:

I choose other because I am in the US. It costs $1150 a month to cover my family, myself, wife and son. Luckily I only pay $215 a month and the rest is paid by my employer. I never had health insurance when I lived in Ireland, didn't see the need really. What kind of stuff do VHI and Bupa actually pay for? As an example with my US insurance a normal doctors visit for a simple checkup would run about $120, with insurance I pay $15. You basically still have to pay a bit of everything but a much smaller amount and the insurance picks up the rest. Same for perscriptions, hospital visits etc. Does having Bupa or VHI reduce your medical costs or simply act as an insurance againist a possible big illness?

$1150 a month!!!!!
Thats like almost $14,000 per annum.
Are you serious?

I pay 640 per annum for VHI scheme C which covers me for up to 6 months stay as a private patient in almost all private hospitals. In addition it is annual travel insurance- including baggage of up to Euro 2000. It pays for all procedures privately (apart from in the Blackrock Clinic- and even then its covered if its a heart complaint).
I do suffer from a chronic illness- Crohn's Disease, and have had cause to use my health insurance numerous times. As it was not a pre-existing medical condition when I originally was covered as a child- its fully covered. Were I to switch cover to another insurer- I would not be covered, so its not worth my while.

Anyhow.

jor el

I'm on VHI plan B, which is paid by the company. When I signed up I could have had VHI or Bupa, the price difference was meaningless as I wasn't paying for it so I just picked VHI. I've used them a few times now, been into hospital with a broken leg and Gastro, on seperate ocasions, and never had to pay a penny myself. So I guess I'm happy enough with them.

If I was paying though, I think I'd choose Bupa as they are cheaper and seem to offer the same thing, or am I wrong there? Never really looked into it anyway.

Rabies

I'm on Bupa Healthmanager Starter. Don't know how much it cost, only a few hundred a year. Can claim back a certain percentage of doctors bills so it isn't too bad. Comes in handy at times, get private room when going to hospital plus any extra care that is needed. Hospitals love people with health insurance

Kernel32

smccarrick wrote:

$1150 a month!!!!!
Thats like almost $14,000 per annum.
Are you serious?

I am very serious. The cost of health insurance is out of control. I am lucky that I have good health insurance and that my employer picks up most of the tab. More and more employers are pushing the cost onto their employees. Its not unusual in the last few years for an insurance company to raise permiums by 40% to 50% in one go. High deductible polices are now becoming popular. Basically it means the insurance won't kick in until you have spent $5000 of your own money in a 12 month period. The premium is considerably lower and often an employer will pay from their pocket the first $2k of the $5k and its still cheaper for the employer that paying for a policy like I have.

The medical care is fantastic but the cost has gotten crazy.

tk123

i'm on vhi first plan..it's €34 a month, covers semi-private room in hospital, I get money back for doctor/dentist visits...I have a thyroid problem so I do have to go to the doctors every few months anyways - this way I dont feel so bad because I know i'll get money back for any visits!!

D!ve^Bomb!

i have VHI, plan B and another plan, can't remember.. but i don't pay a penny:D

Redshift

I have VHI plan C and have no cause for complaints, I was glad I have it a couple of years ago after a three week stay in hospital which cost about 8,000 euro in total :eek: which was fully covered. It would be the last thing I would considder cutting if finances were tight, you just can't afford not to have it in this day and age.

[Jackass]

I have VHI world assistance (well my dad has it for me to be exact), but i was in cypres a couple of years back, and i got very ill, and was facing the possibility of being unable to fly and being strandad their on my own, with no money and no accom. when i get out of hospital, and in no fit state to organise a flight home. VHI were absolutely amasing! I couldn't believe how helpfull they were, paid all the hospital bills (obviously, but they were about €5,000 :eek:), they organised flights home, 1 night accomidation, as well as keeping in constant contact with both me and my familly to assure us not to worry about a thing, they'll take care of everything, and just concentrate on getting better
How nice is that? I even got a phone call when i got home to see how i was!! :eek:
Brilliant service....customer for life!