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Some Basic Health Insurance Questions

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  • 17-07-2014 4:45pm
    #1
    subscriber
    Registered Users Posts: 895 ✭✭✭


    I am in the market for health insurance for the first time and have been talking today with some of the health insurance companies. I have tried asking them some pretty basic questions but they just keep flinging out the same generic crap that`s written on their website. Quiet frustrating considering the questions are pretty straight forward. Maybe somebody here can help....

    One of the first things that seems to need to be decided when buying health insurance is whether you want to be cover for private and hi-tech hospitals or just public hospitals. My question is this.. If I opt just to be covered for just public hospitals and i get sick for example... with my gut and need to see a gastro specialist as an outpatient.. will i be subject to the long public waiting lists that exist in our public hospitals or will I be bumped up the cue because i have health insurance?? I may be under the illusion that you only get seen quickly in private hospitals...

    So essentially is the only real difference between option for private hospital cover over public hospital cover is the comfort aspect of your stay ... Or is their some other benefit I am missing of having private hospital cover? I have no issues with being on a public ward if i get sick for the sake of saving 20euros a month on insurance fees.

    Another question is most of the websites list your entitlements as follows: Emergency department: 25 euros twice per year. But this mean you pay 25 euros per visit or they give you 25 euros back on each visit?? Not sure ..


    Thanks


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    #2
    peteb2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭peteb2


    No. My understanding is that you don't get bumped up any queue, it just covers the out-patient costs etc involved in being a public patient. If you want to be seen quicker you will still need private hospital cover.

    It means they give you back 25 on each visit.


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    #3
    LostArt
    Registered Users Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭LostArt


    peteb2 wrote: »

    It means they give you back 25 on each visit.

    Just be careful on this, your outpatient excess will apply, so you may wish to go for a low outpatient excess.

    Say your outpatient excess is €200, with €25 back per visit. After 2 visits you will still have €150 left of your excess.


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