News
Families cutting health premiums in favour of low-cost health cash plans
15th Jan 2009
With recession fears already biting and significantly higher private medical insurance premiums to pay, more and more Irish families are viewing private medical insurance as a luxury they can no longer afford.
Families cutting health premiums in favour of low-cost health cash plans
With recession fears already biting and significantly higher private medical insurance premiums to pay, more and more Irish families are viewing private medical insurance as a luxury they can no longer afford.
According to Roy Smith, HSF Health Plan, a trend is already emerging where people are either reducing the amount they pay into their private medical insurance or cutting it out altogether. With the money they save doing this, they are buying into a health cash plan, which is low cost and broadens their range of cover into everyday health care costs.
“Since the price increases of private medical insurance premiums were announced at the end of last year, we have had a noticeable surge in the amount of people looking at health cash plans,” said Smith.
“While an HSF cash plan doesn’t pay private hospital or operation costs, it gives cash back for a wide range of everyday health care costs that you’re far more likely to use including GP, prescription, consultant, dental, optical, physiotherapy and chiropody, along with grants for hospital stays, birth grants and worldwide accident cover.”
Premiums for an HSF health plan start at just €26.50 per month that covers you, your spouse or partner and dependent children up to the age of 18. The most popular HSF scheme costs €45.50 per month and will pay cash back for GP (€250), dental/optical (€450), specialist investigations/consultants (€1,050), chiropody/physiotherapy (€650), hospital stays (€100 per night up to 40 nights), birth grant (€650) and personal accident (up to €20,000).
As well as these benefits, there’s a feel good factor too. HSF Health Plan is a not-for-profit organisation and returns its profits to the local community in terms of donations and grants.