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THE HEALTH INSURANCE market is set for a major shake up next month with the introduction of a new ‘pay as you go’ style health insurance packages.
The new ‘Activate’ range of plans being offered by GloHealth gives customers the ability to upgrade their health insurance at a time of their choosing.
Customers will be allowed to upgrade from the more basic care packages, to the more comprehensive ones. Users of the service will be allowed to pay for more extensive cover as and when they need it.
The new service also claims to eradicate the traditional two-year waiting period for an upgrade traditionally required for a person with a pre-existing medical condition.
Speaking about the new service, GloHealth Chief Executive Jim Dowdall said:
Since our launch, GloHealth has provided our customers with innovative health cover which they can tailor to their needs. Our new Activate range takes this to a new level.
The ‘Activate’ range includes four different packages and the most basic one claims to allow customers to access scans, tests, a 24-hour nurse line and hospital treatment for a basic rate of €395 annually.
The ‘Activate More Hospital’ plan is at the high end of the scale and would see customers paying out €1,267.75 a year. For this, customers are given access to a range of private and public hospital treatments.
However, the new services does not provide an open door to people with pre-existing medical conditions who have not held health cover before. For this there will still be a five-year waiting period.
The new package may appeal to the under-35s, who are facing pressure to take up health insurance earlier. A new system being introduced next May will put 2% onto policies for over-35s each year they fail to take up health insurance.
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If the right wing clowns in Leinster house had a clue and didn’t ruin the Celtic tiger and cause this economic crisis, maybe we would have been in a place to afford free healthcare for all our citizens from the cradle to the grave. The idea of privatising health services is a bad one, after all they’re in it to make a profit…
Exactly! These boys are looking for the cream off the top. They go after the young crowd who are low risk by removing osteo and cardiac cover. Then As soon as the market takes a plunge they pull out with their cash. That’s why they will not ever have my money whilst I am young. I’d take basic vhi cover over any crap that aviva laya glo-worm or whatever they are called are offering. The horror stories I have heard about cover refusal are unbelievable. I rang all the big hospitals and about 40 random gp offices to get a feel of what’s worth what before I got cover as it’s so confusing. You would be amazed what people would reveal over the telephone. What I learnt was that there’s no point in having cover if there’s a risk of a claim refusal. Especially on frivolous grounds. Having the cocks out in the hermitage writing 200 euro consultation fees doesn’t help either. But claims are investigated better now. Look at it from your own perspective. Can u trust your cover? Can you rely on it? Who’s been here the longest? Who will definitely be here next year and indeed the year after?
John you just proved yourself a typical left wing clown by your statement of healthcare being free, are doctors volunteering in your socialist head
Before you call me a clown, learn how to use the word our…and I was stating that a free health care service may have been possible, like the NHS. Do all healthcare professionals in the NHS work voluntarily? In the socialist paradise of the UK? Free healthcare isn’t some socialist fantasy, for millions it is a reality.
John it’s not free ok??
I get red thumbs for stating the obvious. John even in the uk paradise you mention doctors nurses and drugs etc are all paid for with cold hard cash, spondulies, the auld moolah, great British pounds and pence… And lots of it…, its not free
I was being sarcastic about the socialist paradise and when I say free I mean for the patient, it is possible to have free public healthcare, just look up north. It’s not a socialist fantasy.
We already pay for the Health system through our taxes.. We shouldn’t have to take out privite health insurance or pay to see a GP as it is…
Unfortunately we don’t pay enough for universal free healthcare for all. I would think the system could work more efficiently but I believe even if that is done the cost per head would still be way above what we pay now.
Having said that the current “hybrid” system sucks major @ss
I don’t like having to pay to go to A&E or the doctor but it’s an odd time. If mandatory Health insurance comes in I’ll refuse to pay the same as a smoker or someone who’s on the lash all week..
Padraig, that’s not true at all. I’ve been living in Sweden for a year now. About 20% of my salary is docked in taxes – no USC, PRSI etc. Just one simple deduction. So there goes the myth about high Nordic taxes. The higher rate of VAT is 25% here and 23% in Ireland. Motor tax is lower here. Petrol is about €1.60 per litre. Not here long enough to know the other details about the tax system as they don’t impact me personally.
But you get the idea. The tax burden is the same as Ireland, or less. Yet the GP costs €22 for everyone, prescriptions are subsidised, A&E is €50 and you’ll likely be put in a private room in a matter of minutes rather than sitting on a hard seat or lying on a trolley in the hall. With all of these charges, no household will ever spend more than approx €350/annum as it’s free after that.
We could easily have all of this in Ireland too, if only someone around the cabinet table could grow a pair and cut the fat from the HSE so the money that taxpayers work hard to earn can be spent for their benefit for a change.
And I’m guessing it goes without saying, but as I’m sure you can imagine, private health insurance and healthcare is virtually unheard of here.
@Dennis I have no reason to disbelieve your points, however Sweden does have about 10million people and is the seventh richest country in the world; there is much to admire & envy but I don’t think it’s a like for like comparison with Ireland. However I do agree Ireland could & should be able to do much better
10 million people to pay into the system, so granted that’s 5.5 million up on Ireland. But also that means 10 million people to look after – 5.5 million extra. On top of that Sweden has an aging population – Ireland does not as we have a very young population. As well as that the government has the added burden of ensuring an even spread of the healthcare system across the country – not an easy task considering it takes 24 hours non-stop to drive from Lapland in the north to Malmö in the south.
On the issue of Sweden being a richer country – yes, it is. But not by much. Wages are not much higher than they are in Ireland. Norway is where the real money is.
Also in Sweden couples who have kids get 18 months maternity/paternity leave to take between them as they wish. Look at the taxes we pay in this Country on top of income tax and yet we pay extra for rubbish collections, health service, water. This time of the year parents are spending a fortune on school books and uniforms. In the UK there all free because the state pays for your kids in state schools. As soon as our kids are in the door the “Voluntary Contribution” letter gets sent home along with the photocopying bill… Absolute joke!!
My rubbish collection and water are included in my rent so I don’t notice it going – plus, it’s a standing charge rather than based on usage. The same with my public central heating and mains hot water. Having these included in your rent is the way it is here. Same charge for everyone and no counting your showers or loads of washing. Looking at the new water charges at home, a standard shower will cost about €1 and that’s before you even heat the water.
As you mention schools – I’m a teacher in a publicly funded school. We’re forbidden by law for asking parents for a cent. Everything – from the kids’ pencils and copies to school tours and hot school lunch everyday – is supplied without charge for the simple reason that their parents pay the taxes that pay for the school. .
Cosmo, your taxes don’t go to the GP – should she look after you for free?
Doesn’t norway have large stocks of oil etc to sell?
So we still get nothing for The PRSI , USC and PAYE? Oh yeah I forgot this is Ireland you get jackshit for your tax.
If you have an existing disability it is nearly impossible to get health insurance which is a disgrace.
Who told you that? Everyone can get health insurance or move insurers regardless of your current health status without penalty or additional charge – the only catch is that there might be a waiting period for cover on pre-existing issues if you did not have cover previously.
Not true
John can you explain where it is not true? I have studied this in much detail, have I missed some thing or has the law changed without I realising it?
health insurance is a scam!!!!
Dead right…. I’ve no intention of every buying any of it… Gangsters and cheats every one of them…Cowboys Ted…. Terms and conditions apply…. Ho Ho… You can be sure of that bud!
Wait till they bring in mandatory Health Insurance… €1700 was quoted as the possible figure the average person will have to pay.. If they bring that in Ill be moving north of the border..
Pay tax in this country and get nothing in return.
Perhaps they should selling GP licenses at Tesco , with more doctors healthcare pricing can go down and ofcourse it has to be allowed to brew your own medicine.
Sounds too good to be true springs to mind.
Why not ringfence the Universal Social Scam (USC) for universal healthcare? What is that scam meant to be used for again? It’s hard to keep up with the various scams. The whole country has turned into one massive scam
If you are joining health insurance for first time or have been outside health insurance for a period longer than 13 weeks you are subjected to an initial waiting period of 6 months and a pre existing condition waiting period of 5 year. These get longer with age: a person between the ages of 55-64 have initial w/p of 1 year/7 year pre-existing. If you are over 65 you are more or less screwed: 2 year initial/10 year pre-existing. Likewise if you are upgrading your plan you are subjected to waiting periods, not quite as long but hefty enough for the over 55 year olds. It’s very unfair especially for people who were hit by the downturn but the upgrade waiting periods are in place to stop people doing what Glo have introduced today – paying the lowest level of cover until they need the cover. In theory it’s a good idea but in the long run it could break Glo. It’s all well and good offering people cheap plans but will they have the reserves to pay the claims as their client base age. I’d imagine there is a lot of small print attached to these plans.
If you have an existing disability you have to wait 5 years before you are fully covered I think that is scandalous.
You are correct Aine, the insurers should take the customer as they find them, interesting how they don’t penalise smoker or alcoholics (about 40 percent of the population) but any kind of pre existing neuro/back issue and they arent interested. The only thing worse then a publicly funded health system is a privately funded one.
Health insurers are obliged to charge all adults the same rate, with an allowance for a maximum 10% group discount. They are also obliged to let anyone join, regardless of health history, lifestyle habits, etc.
Hmm, interesting. So you can upgrade your healthcare package at any time – except maybe when you need it? The mind boggles.
For me, I lived and worked in the UK for a long time so I was very used to paying 11% of my pay on National Insurance. When I moved to Ireland I realised that PRSI and USC combined added up to 8% so the other 4% I ringfenced to upgrade my healthcare package which is provided through employment. It works for me – but I absolutely resent the idea of paying to see a GP and so forth – even if I can claim back. Personally, the one and only thing I miss is the NHS from the other side of the Irish sea! (Lets hope my family don’t read that!)…
My god not better with price still seems like an arm and a leg. Rip of merchants. Mine has risen over €500 in the last 6 to 8 yrs with vhi. No wonder people are dropping out.
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