Should I get health insurance prior to doing any tests that might reveal a condition?

St1mpMeister

I had planned on getting blood tests done in July and I don't currently have any health insurance, though I do intend on signing up later this year before my next birthday but I just wanted more time to consider the options.

I don't have any current health issues that I'm aware of, so the blood test is really just a precaution, but in the worst case where they do find some underlying issue I imagine this would then be considered a "pre-existing" condition when I sign up for insurance and possibly have an effect on the premium?

So should I get the health insurance now before any "possible issues" are recorded, and then do the blood test, or would pre-existing conditions not factor?

How long after I start the insurance would I need to wait to be covered for anything discovered in subsequent tests?

coylemj

St1mpMeister wrote: »

I had planned on getting blood tests done in July .....

It sounds like a routine blood test and you may find that they're not being done at your local hospital. St. Vincents and the Mater in Dublin are not doing them at the moment so your GP will probably tell you to wait until they reopen for tests.

St1mpMeister wrote: »

I don't have any current health issues that I'm aware of, so the blood test is really just a precaution....

You or your GP have to ask for specific indicators in the blood to be measured. You need to get a full medical checkup if you want to see if there's something wrong with you. Even a broad spectrum blood test can't identify every potential illness.

St1mpMeister wrote: »

So should I get the health insurance now before any "possible issues" are recorded, and then do the blood test, or would pre-existing conditions not factor?

The issue with medical insurance and pre-existing conditions is not whether you knew about the condition but if it actually existed at the time you took out the policy. And that will come down to what your consultant is prepared to tell VHI, Laya etc..

St1mpMeister

coylemj wrote: »

The issue with medical insurance and pre-existing conditions is not whether you knew about the condition but if it actually existed at the time you took out the policy. And that will come down to what your consultant is prepared to tell VHI, Laya etc..

OK grand. And how long after you sign up for insurance are you covered for anything that might appear?

Literally the hour you sign up, or does it need to build up for a few months?

coylemj

St1mpMeister wrote: »

OK grand. And how long after you sign up for insurance are you covered for anything that might appear?

Literally the hour you sign up, or does it need to build up for a few months?

There is a waiting period (before you are fully covered) of 26 weeks for treatment of conditions which started after you joined. And there is a waiting period of 5 years for pre-existing conditions, defined as follows.....

Illnesses that existed in the 6 months before you join are called pre-existing conditions and 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.

https://www.hia.ie/consumer-information/waiting-periods/new-customer-waiting-periods

St1mpMeister

coylemj wrote: »

"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.

Interesting, so it's only if symptoms exist and have been formerly identified, rather than whether the ailment was actually present but hadn't manifested itself fully to be something that was reported to a doctor?

So in my case where I want to check for something specific via blood test, but not because it's an urgent issue and I can afford to wait, then I could in theory wait the 6 months before I had to get it tested.

So in answer to my original question, then yes it probably is a good idea to get health insurance before doing voluntary tests.

Henry Ford III

There's always a reason for getting a specific blood test I'd imagine.

coylemj

Henry Ford III wrote: »

There's always a reason for getting a specific blood test I'd imagine.

Most definitely. When you or your GP is interested in monitoring a specific indicator like your blood sugar, PSA, cholesterol, liver function etc. And the GP has to tick the appropriate boxes to get them measured.

But the blood test the OP is proposing sounds like it's very unspecific ......

St1mpMeister wrote: »

I don't have any current health issues that I'm aware of, so the blood test is really just a precaution .....

St1mpMeister

Nah it's a specific test, *BUT* not urgent to get tested for as I'm not experiencing issues that require urgent testing, but given other factors it's worth getting tested for anyway.

My concern is that should they discover an early sign of a particular condition before I sign up for insurance that it will be recorded and I would need to wait 5 years to be covered for it.

So, based on what you linked to, it would seem prudent to sign up for insurance now and then move the test to January 2021 instead of July when I had planned to do it, and at least then I will be covered.

St1mpMeister

coylemj wrote: »

There is a waiting period (before you are fully covered) of 26 weeks for treatment of conditions which started after you joined. And there is a waiting period of 5 years for pre-existing conditions

I was chatting to Laya there and they said

"At laya healthcare we will however offer immediate cover for any new conditions, injuries or emergencies from the date you join."

so maybe that info you linked to is referring to VHI instead? *shrug*

Although then I found this: https://www.layahealthcare.ie/productsandservices/waitingperiods/

where it specifies the 26 weeks... guess I'd better get that nailed down

coylemj

St1mpMeister wrote: »

I was chatting to Laya there and they said

......

so maybe that info you linked to is referring to VHI instead? *shrug*

That is very unfair. I did some research on your behalf and as part of my response (in post #4), I provided a link to a relevant page on the HIA website. Interpret the info. as you choose but don't throw it back in my face.

If there's a conflict between what a call agent told you and the text on their website, the text on the website will apply. Every time.

Life insurance would be the other one to consider.

St1mpMeister

coylemj wrote: »

That is very unfair. I did some research on your behalf and as part of my response (in post #4), I provided a link to a relevant page on the HIA website. Interpret the info. as you choose but don't throw it back in my face.

huh? I didn't throw it in your face, I simply posted an addendum based on what Laya told me, so perhaps they had changed their policy and the hia website hadn't been updated.

No need to get your knickers in a twist!

St1mpMeister

I contacted Laya again there today just to clarify, and they said while the law does say you need to wait 6 months after you join before any new illnesses developed are covered, they will waive this so that you are in fact covered straight away.

I would still want to get that in writing but it does appear to be their policy, so could be of use to others to know.

Shazamm

St1mpMeister wrote: »

I contacted Laya again there today just to clarify, and they said while the law does say you need to wait 6 months after you join before any new illnesses developed are covered, they will waive this so that you are in fact covered straight away.

I would still want to get that in writing but it does appear to be their policy, so could be of use to others to know.

Did you get that in writing? It contradicts the 26 week thing

St1mpMeister

Shazamm wrote: »

Did you get that in writing? It contradicts the 26 week thing

It's apparently valid.

VHI also said they do the same thing now too.

You're covered for anything that happens after the very day you start your cover.

Shazamm

St1mpMeister wrote: »

It's apparently valid.

VHI also said they do the same thing now too.

You're covered for anything that happens after the very day you start your cover.

Hard to believe it. I bet its used to get you to sign up sure.

If you had a wrist operation pre-insurance , highly doubt they'll cover a re-operation, ja get me

St1mpMeister

Shazamm wrote: »

Hard to believe it. I bet its used to get you to sign up sure.

If you had a wrist operation pre-insurance , highly doubt they'll cover a re-operation, ja get me

That would be pre-existing, so wouldn't be covered.

If you joined VHI/Laya tomorrow and then got cancer the day after you're covered as they say they're waiving the 26 week waiting period.

Shazamm

Yes, but if you previoulsy had that ailment, guarantee they wouldn't cover it!

St1mpMeister

Shazamm wrote: »

Yes, but if you previoulsy had that ailment, guarantee they wouldn't cover it!

sorry I'm confused, what do you mean?

Could you give an example?

coylemj

St1mpMeister wrote: »

If you joined VHI/Laya tomorrow and then got cancer the day after you're covered as they say they're waiving the 26 week waiting period.

Cancer develops over time until you spot some symptoms so you go to a GP who refers you to a specialist, then you have some sort of scan or biopsy, then they tell you that you have cancer.

So taking your example, if you sign up to VHI/Laya tomorrow and get a diagnosis of cancer the next day, they are well within their rights to say that that was a pre-existing condition and decline cover.

You said this in post #15 on Aug. 8th....

St1mpMeister wrote: »

You're covered for anything that happens after the very day you start your cover.

If you think you'll be covered for a diagnosis of cancer that you get the day after you sign up, you're deluding yourself.

pm.

What's the point in them waiven the wait times then? So let's say it's not the next day but 3/4 months into the policy would you then be covered?

What if you waited 7 months and got tested and they unfortunately found you had cancer and had it for about a year unknown to you would you be covered then?

I honestly thought if they waived the 26 week period wait time you are covered for anything otherwise what good is it having the waiting time waived

St1mpMeister

coylemj wrote: »

So taking your example, if you sign up to VHI/Laya tomorrow and get a diagnosis of cancer the next day, they are well within their rights to say that that was a pre-existing condition and decline cover.

It was just a random example... insert illness X instead

St1mpMeister

pm. wrote: »

What's the point in them waiven the wait times then?

I think it's just that one of them started as a way of attracting customers, so the other had to follow suit

Shazamm

St1mpMeister wrote: »

I think it's just that one of them started as a way of attracting customers, so the other had to follow suit

Exactly that's it

pm.

So it's not worth a sh!te?

St1mpMeister

pm. wrote: »

So it's not worth a sh!te?

If you develop an illness within 6 months of starting cover, as long as symptoms didn't exist before, then you are now covered whereas before you had to wait 6 months.

Not sure why this isn't clear.

.