Thinking if giving up VHI

Former Observer

Thinking of giving up VHI. My parents have twenty years put into into it and I've another nine or ten. I don't see the point. Seems like a scam and philosophically I'm against private health insurance. Am I wrong? For the wage I'm on it's a big expense.

Stheno

Former Observer wrote: »

Thinking of giving up VHI. My parents have twenty years put into into it and I've another nine or ten. I don't see the point. Seems like a scam and philosophically I'm against private health insurance. Am I wrong? For the wage I'm on it's a big expense.

What age are you?

Former Observer

Stheno wrote: »

What age are you?

Early thirties.

TheValeyard

Former Observer wrote: »

Early thirties.

Probably heading into the age where you will start to actually need it.

Abba987

Gave it up years ago . Couldn't justify the cost. If I really need to be seen I'll camp out there until I am.

corner of hells

Former Observer wrote: »

Thinking of giving up VHI. My parents have twenty years put into into it and I've another nine or ten. I don't see the point. Seems like a scam and philosophically I'm against private health insurance. Am I wrong? For the wage I'm on it's a big expense.

Stick with it , you'll get pregnant eventually.

Its helped me to no end with my dyslexia.

meeeeh

Did you ever switch between providers or plans?

Personally I would not want to be without it. It's complete waste of money when you don't need it but essential whe you would be otherwise stuck on some waiting list for years.

BoroMan32

Just be thankful you're not getting full value for money from it.

kneemos

The day after you give it up you get hit by a truck.

Always the way.

Former Observer

meeeeh wrote: »

Did you ever switch between providers or plans?

Personally I would not want to be without it. It's complete waste of money when you don't need it but essential to avoid waiting times.

No I feel at the very least I need to shop around. I'm paying a fortune. As I say though, I kind of hate these cynical parasites blackmailing poor people and I'm not sure I want a part of it.

Still waters

corner of hells wrote: »

Stick with it , you'll get pregnant eventually.

Its helped me to no end with my dyslexia.

You now have full blown aids

ThreadedJarLid

TheValeyard wrote: »

Probably heading into the age where you will start to actually need it.

I normally lurk, registered just to post this. I was fit and healthy until diagnosed with a heart condition. Health insurance covered everything and I was seen very promptly. Definitely worth it from my perspective. Important to review every regularly though, just like gas, electricity, broadband, etc.

corner of hells

Still waters wrote: »

You now have full blown aids

Pardon, no my hearing is fine.

Former Observer

ThreadedJarLid wrote: »

I normally lurk, registered just to post this. I was fit and healthy until diagnosed with a heart condition. Health insurance covered everything and I was seen very promptly. Definitely worth it from my perspective. Important to review every regularly though, just like gas, electricity, broadband, etc.

Thanks for your contribution. I gather access to specialist was streamlined? Quality of medical practice is the same.

nullObjects

Former Observer wrote: »

I kind of hate these cynical parasites blackmailing poor people and I'm not sure I want a part of it.

What would you propose instead of the current system?

mvl

I'd only advise giving up on VHI once you get an employer that pays for another private health insurer, so you won't have to pay but are still insured.

Fr_Dougal

If you give it up and get sick, then decide to take it up again you’ll be looking at a 5 year waiting period of pre-existing conditions.

Former Observer

nullObjects wrote: »

What would you propose instead of the current system?

Umm... Universal healthcare based on taxation ?

It's hardly controversial to believe that wealthy people shouldn't have access to better healthcare than poorer people, I would have thought. Everybody should have to contribute to the same system. I feel the same about schooling.

meeeeh

Former Observer wrote: »

No I feel at the very least I need to shop around. I'm paying a fortune. As I say though, I kind of hate these cynical parasites blackmailing poor people and I'm not sure I want a part of it.

You have to change every two years or so. If you are on the same plan 8-10 years you are overpaying for what you are getting. I bet it's VHI plan B (or whatever it is called now) and your parents are on it for ever and you just continued on the same plan.

Lia_lia

I only have it because it’s paid by work (and me through BIK but anyway). Used it a few times for small things. But if I was paying the full whack myself it still would have been cheaper to just pay for the small things privately. I’m currently pregnant but going public as you still have to pay 3K odd even with insurance!

My close family have never had health insurance and always got on fine through the public system. And paid for private appointments here and there. It’s a tough call though as you never know really. The waiting times for some tests/procedures are crazy.

kneemos

Former Observer wrote: »

Umm... Universal healthcare based on taxation ?

It's hardly controversial to believe that wealthy people shouldn't have access to better healthcare than poorer people, I would have thought. Everybody should have to contribute to the same system. I feel the same about schooling.

Don't we already have universal health care based on taxation?
That's why so many are choosing private.

Gimme A Pound

Cancer or MS could hit anyone at any age - no amount of "that'd never happen to me" will change that. The young people who have been hit by same thought that way too.

So I'll keep paying it.

Abba987 wrote: »

Gave it up years ago . Couldn't justify the cost. If I really need to be seen I'll camp out there until I am.

Bless.

meeeeh

Former Observer wrote: »

Umm... Universal healthcare based on taxation ?

It's hardly controversial to believe that wealthy people shouldn't have access to better healthcare than poorer people, I would have thought. Everybody should have to contribute to the same system. I feel the same about schooling.

Not everyone agrees. European consumer Healthcare Index claims that health systems supported by different insurers tend to perform better.

Sephiroth_dude

Mod

Gonna move this to Banking and Insurance as I think its better suited there, please read charter before posting.

Nigel Fairservice

Former Observer wrote: »

Early thirties.

I had health insurance for most of my 20s. My general health was good. I was young and didn't foresee anything bad happening to me in the near to medium future. I thought I was spending too much money on health insurance so one year in my late 20s I didn't bother renewing it. I was diagnosed with MS not long after turning 30. It was a bolt out of the blue and I felt a right fool for not keeping my insurance. A year or two after my diagnosis I took out health insurance again but now I have a pre-existing condition and my MS will not be covered for 5 years (I have just over half of this time period covered now). Also, when I was without insurance cover I needed minor surgery. Insurance would have covered it straight away but I had to wait for a while for the surgery on the public system. It wasn't a pleasant wait on the public system. My mother needed the same surgery as I did but she got it straight away on her insurance. After being caught twice in quick succession I was very sorry I didn't keep up my insurance. My advice is to keep your health insurance.

dudara

The public system will take care of you if you have a true emergency.

But if you have a complaint that’s less serious, you could be waiting a long time. Or else you’ll have to shell out for private from your own pocket.

Insurance can help massively, and will help you feel better sooner, recover faster, have a better standard of care. I recently had to go to A&E. My doctor said to go private as my insurance covered it. I ended up needing a semi-cast which is made from some modern fibreglass, self-curing epoxy which is really light. Doc said that this is not available in the public sector as it costs more, so I would have ended up with a heavy, plaster of Paris cast.

lawred2

Those entry level plans that the insurers are selling on the back of government legislation to penalise those in their mid thirties are a scam. They cover nothing but take a handy premium so that you don't get any future policy levied.

Private in a public. That's meaningless. By the time I'm a public inpatient my healthcare is paid by the state anyway. So what is it that the insurer is covering when they say 2500 participating consultants?

Government and insurers hand in hand as per usual.

lawred2

Mr.S wrote: »

It's hardly a scam - you're paying for access to "private" healthcare benefits, it's a good thing you've never had to claim!

If you are young, a base plan should be sufficient enough and then upgrade as you get older or have a higher income.

If you need an outpatients referral, on the public system you could be waiting over a year for certain procedures. Private, you generally are seen within the week.



Private in a public hospital is a common plan, you basically get a smaller room on a ward (rather then say, a room with 10 people) and access to consultants (see above example) - a base plan is a base plan, it's not going to give you everything.

Once you're in the public system you get the same consultants as an inpatient.

And more often than not, private beds aren't available so you end up on a ward anyway.

gerard2210

Hi O.P
What plan are you on and how much are you paying?
Thankfully we have insurance, I never had to use it myself but the wife has made use of it on several occasions for surgery on her back and knees.
Her family suffer from arthritis, my wife was able to get her knees done very quickly, her sister needs her hips replaced, she might be waiting 4 or 5 years on the public system.
If you can afford it you should keep it.

mvl

dudara wrote: »

The public system will take care of you if you have a true emergency.
But if you have a complaint that’s less serious, you could be waiting a long time. Or else you’ll have to shell out for private from your own pocket.

I am not suggesting this is your meaning, but emergency only is not enough, serious cases can be found late - and we're not in some 3rd world country that has no healthcare services at all ...
Of course I have a personal discontentment - as I am on a 18/24 months waiting list for a specialist investigation for a genetic matter - and I am really confused how whoever analyzed "my case" is allowed to classify it as non urgent without even seeing me, when that genetic matter if confirmed would need special handling for life.
- Extremely frustrating, I couldn't rely only on public system here. Actually, while I have private insurance, in this case I decided to go abroad to investigate sooner.

ted1

corner of hells wrote: »

Stick with it , you'll get pregnant eventually.

Its helped me to no end with my dyslexia.

The mid wife domino scheme is better than going private and it’s free