Health insurance should be simple and transparent. Unfortunately, it's often the opposite. Complex policies full of confusing jargon. And let's not forget the hidden costs.
We'd all be better off if we spoke plain English. So we decided to build a website to help everyone understand health insurance a little better.
There are lots of things for us to discuss.
Let’s start with the most important one. Do you need health insurance? You’ll get a clearer picture of whether or not you need cover in the Choosing Your Policy section. It explains all the things you need to think about when considering health insurance.
You’ll also find information on this website about everything that gets wrapped up in the cost of health insurance.
One such issue is public hospital bed charges, first introduced in 2014, which involves a fundamental change in the way public hospitals charge private health insurers. Previously, health insurers were charged 10 times the overnight accommodation rate if their member was accommodated in a semi-private or private room. Now, all privately insured patients are being asked to sign a Public Hospital Waiver Form when admitted to hospital via A&E, effectively waiving their right to be treated publically and in so doing agreeing to be charged €813 a night, that’s 10 times the cost, regardless of whether they secure a semi-private or private bed or not.
Sounds unfair, right? For many it can be. The most important thing is to know your rights as a private patient when being admitted to a public hospital and to ask one key question before signing the waiver form: “what additional services and benefits will I receive if I sign and waive my right to be treated publicly?” See here for additional important information to understand before you sign the form.
Another major cost factor which impacts on the cost of health insurance is the Government Health Levy, which adds up to €444 to the cost of your insurance. In addition, most people are unaware that the cut in tax relief on health insurance in Budget 2014 increased the cost of their health insurance.
There’s other stuff too that we’d like to explain like Lifetime Community Rating.
But don’t let us hog the stage. If there are topics you’d like us to talk about, please get in touch.
We’d also love to hear what you think about the healthcare system in Ireland. As leading providers of Health, Travel Insurance and Life Insurance in Ireland we love to hear your opinions on how we and the insurance industry can best meet your needs.
Research conducted to gauge the level of understanding and attitudes of the public on the Public Beds Re-designation Charge
Every Irish citizen is entitled to be treated in our public hospitals as a public patient at a maximum charge of €80 per night (up to a maximum charge of €800 in any 12-month period), a cost that will be fully covered by your health insurance. 
In Ireland, we all pay the same amount of money for the same level of private health cover. It doesn't matter how old we are. The Health Levy was introduced by the Government to help some insurers with the higher costs of claims from older members.
More
So you’ve heard the term Lifetime Community Rating (LCR) and you’re wondering what does this mean for me and how will it affect the cost of my health insurance? There’s a real saving if you take out your first healthcare insurance before you turn 35. Avoid paying more for being over 34.