May need minor ankle surgery. No health insurance but can I get in under parents insu

wherearewe45

27 years old so guessing I'm already excluded from parents insurance but what's the harm in asking. I've always put off health insurance as I've been fit and 100% healthy until I hurt my ankle. Now it may require surgery and I'm uninsured. Public waiting list is 2 years for a consultation and I really won't be able to wait that long given the state of my ankle right now.

Is there any alternative open to me rather than forking out big time so get it sorted sooner rather than later?

Henry Ford III

I doubt it. Why would an insurer take on a future liability for an injury that's already happened?

NUTLEY BOY

You may be subject a waiting period for a pre-existing condition. See this link to the Health Insurance Authority site from which you will see their explanation of the concept https://www.hia.ie/consumer-information/waiting-periods/new-customer-waiting-periods.

In particular, note that "From 1 May 2015 a pre-existing condition is defined as:"Pre-existing condition” means an ailment, illness or condition, where, on the basis of medical advice, the signs or symptoms of that ailment, illness or condition existed at any time in the period of 6 months ending on the day on which the person became insured under the contract."

ThisRegard

You might be better off paying for a private consultation yourself, they aren't too expensive if the consultation is mainly to get a scan etc.

wherearewe45

ThisRegard wrote:

You might be better off paying for a private consultation yourself, they aren't too expensive if the consultation is mainly to get a scan etc.

I've gotten a scan already. The consultation will either lead to an operation or they tell me no operation required. At this stage I'd nearly prefer the operation and it's financing that which is my main worry.

physioman

wherearewe45 wrote: »

I've gotten a scan already. The consultation will either lead to an operation or they tell me no operation required. At this stage I'd nearly prefer the operation and it's financing that which is my main worry.

Yeah 150 euro roughly for private consultation. But if they say you need an operation you will stiĺl wait.

Oral Surgeon

wherearewe45 wrote: »

27 years old so guessing I'm already excluded from parents insurance but what's the harm in asking. I've always put off health insurance as I've been fit and 100% healthy until I hurt my ankle. Now it may require surgery and I'm uninsured. Public waiting list is 2 years for a consultation and I really won't be able to wait that long given the state of my ankle right now.

Is there any alternative open to me rather than forking out big time so get it sorted sooner rather than later?

Not a hope... pre existing condition...

the_syco

physioman wrote: »

Yeah 150 euro roughly for private consultation. But if they say you need an operation you will stiĺl wait.

One less waiting time, tbh. Best to pay for a private consultation now, and then find out what your options are, rather than waiting 2 years to find out the same info.

AnnaStezia

See this from Mater Private whereby there may be a price agreed for self-payers like yourself ;

link 1 https://www.materprivate.ie/
link 2 https://www.materprivate.ie/self-pay/

You will see that their scheme also embraces orthopaedic procedures.

P.S., if you are a taxpayer you should be able to recover 20% against income tax by way of unrecovered medical expenses.

wherearewe45

the_syco wrote:

One less waiting time, tbh. Best to pay for a private consultation now, and then find out what your options are, rather than waiting 2 years to find out the same info.

This is exactly how I see it.

AnnaStezia wrote:

See this from Mater Private whereby there may be a price agreed for self-payers like yourself ;

AnnaStezia wrote:

See this from Mater Private whereby there may be a price agreed for self-payers like yourself ;

AnnaStezia wrote:

You will see that their scheme also embraces orthopaedic procedures.

AnnaStezia wrote:

P.S., if you are a taxpayer you should be able to recover 20% against income tax by way of unrecovered medical expenses.

Thanks for all the info

physioman

wherearewe45 wrote: »

This is exactly how I see it.















Thanks for all the info

From experience I wouldn't go near the mater. No aftercare I.e. physio etc post op. People not told this pre op and just a money making racket. Try to get into the south infirmary if you can.

wherearewe45

physioman wrote:

From experience I wouldn't go near the mater. No aftercare I.e. physio etc post op. People not told this pre op and just a money making racket. Try to get into the south infirmary if you can.

I'm sorted for after care. Friends with a physio who's been helping me since day one. I'm taking this a step further on his recommendation. I'll keep an eye out for all options after the consultation

Caranica

Pay for the consultation and get referred to NI. Apply for the treatment abroad scheme, you'll have to pay up front but they're really fast at refunding

Mrs OBumble

the_syco wrote: »

One less waiting time, tbh. Best to pay for a private consultation now, and then find out what your options are, rather than waiting 2 years to find out the same info.

Not necessarily.

If the specialist opinion is that the operation is needed, then they can place you on their private list. But they cannot place on on the public waiting list: to get onto that, you need to have a public specialists consultation.

It may be useful, in that if surgery isn't needed, you can start (privately funded) physio etc right away. Or that you can start saving to fund the procedure yourself, or explore borrowing (eg credit union or from family) to cover it.

But it might just be an unnecessary delay in getting to see the public specialist (eventually).

FWIW, I'm in a similar situation - different part of the body, some damage caused by an accident which health insurance will cover but some not due to the accident. After thinking long and hard, I decided that the public referral was the way to go, as my GP is almost certain that some surgery is needed.