VHI - Plan B vs. Company Plan Plus Level 1.

Dinarius

I am currently on Plan B. My renewal is due in two weeks and the cost is €1224.44.

I've just received a quotation for Company Plan Plus Level 1 and that would cost €950.00.

In essence, Plan B offers full cover for many procedures in private hospitals that CPP does not.

However, CPP's day-to-day cover is far, far superior. e.g. G.P. visit is €25 vs. €13 on Plan B. Consultant is €60 vs. €39. Physiotherapy is €25 vs. €13.

As far as I can see, out patient medical expenses cover on Company Plan Plus beats Plan B every time - notwithstanding the fact that the cost of the plan is almost €300 cheaper too.

Anyone on Company Plan Plus? Any views on it?

Thanks.

D.

rainbowtrout

Maybe have a look at the Health Insurance Authority website http://www.hia.ie/

You can compare a range of plans there that are similar to Plan B.

To be honest if you're trying to save a bit of money at the moment and the extras on Plan B cover things that you are unlikely to need, maybe switch to the other plan. I'm on one of the PMI plans with VHI myself.

For example all of these plans are similar to Plan B but cheaper when compared on the website.

http://www.hia.ie/ci/health-insurance-comparison/select-plans-to-compare/67/

NuMarvel

I'm not on a VHI plan, but looking at the comparison on the HIA's website, the out-patient cover on CPP L1 is far superior, particular with the €1 excess (Plan B's is €300!).

It may also be worth your while to have a look at plans from other insurers on the market. If you use the comparison tool on the HIA website, you'll be able to narrow down the options. The plan I'm on at the moment with Quinn has similar cover to B Options (but with an excess in private hospitals), gives half back on out-patient cover and currently costs around €735. For full disclosure, I used to be a BUPA employee, but I'd switch to another insurer in the morning if they were better value.

Other insurers are obliged to accept you with no penality, and the law says that they have to recognise the time you've spent with previous Irish health insurers, unless you've had a break in cover of more than 3 months.

FYI, there are well over 200 health insurance plans at the moment, so I'd suggest giving it a little bit of time to look at your options.

Dinarius

Cheers guys, much obliged. Boards.ie does it again!

The HIA link is very useful, but the choice is mind boggling.

Plan B's individual excess of €300 for outpatient care effectively renders the average users day-to-day medical costs un-reclaimable on an annual basis. You've really got to wonder what it's USP is and why most people plump for it.

I like the look of Quinn's Company Care No Excess.

One other question......my wife and I have always had separate policies. She recently changed to a cheaper VHI option. Do you know of any policy that is more competitive for couples to subscribe to?

Thanks.

D.

NuMarvel

There isn't a "couples" policy as such, the cost of all plans is on a per person basis. So one adult on Product X will be €400, two adults will be twice that and so on. (Children and students are at a lower rate though.)

However, it's not mandatory to have the two of you on the same plan; your wife can be on a different plan to you and you won't be charged anything extra for that.

And mind boggling is not the word! You'd think with all the laws governing health insurance, there'd be something in there that says insurers can't introduce multiple versions of the same plan. VHI's PMI plans alone are like rabbits .

Dinarius

A broker has now asked me to consider Aviva's Nurses and Teachers Choice versus VHI's Plan B. Have a look here.......

http://www.hia.ie/ci/health-insurance-comparison/search-result/212-67/

Again, much better outpatient excess than Plan B.

Note also two key differences: €125 excess with Aviva versus 90% with Plan B for cardiac and special procedures. A cardiac procedure could be very compelx, take weeks and cost a bomb. Would you rather pay €125 and let Aviva look after the rest, or fork out 10% of what might be a €20k bill?

The more I look into this, the more I think that Plan B is a bad joke that people re-subscribe to through inertia or because their employers are paying for it.

Any views on the above Aviva policy most welcome.

Thanks.

D.

Keepan Eye

I was checking into VHI Company Plan Extra Level 3. You need to be aware that even though the Benefits section states in
Section 9 N - you are covered for HEALTH SCREENING; this DOES NOT INCLUDE screening in cHARTER Medical or Mater Private or Blackrock Clinic or other such centre unless it is carried out by a GP or Consultant.
So if you decide to do the right thing and go to these types of Centres for a 2 yearly physical, VHI do not refund anything. So be prepared to pay the Full €600 or €1,000 or whatever the centre says.