Private medical insurance - Ireland Move Club General Forum

RE: Private medical insurance

Patricia Egan — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 02:08:09 +0000

Thank you, Kevin. This is very important information, and I appreciate your sharing. I am 70 years old with a nasty Medicare situation. Bottom line: Have you ever heard of IRMAA? Neither had I. Don't ask. Senator Dianne Feinstein's staff had EVERYTHING worked out . . . I thought. Anyway, I will withdraw from Part B, Part D, and Supplemental Plan F, retaining Part A. Due to timing issues around extricating myself from IRMAA and starting IE insurance, I am going with Cigna Global. My sister has an insurance broker's license in CA. She said just get something in place and switch to something less expensive once I get to IE. If the US government were to try to encourage people to leave the country, the IRMAA would surely be effective.

Many have written editorials about health care in the US. It seems to me that we can do better in IE and probably other countries. Medicare advocacy efforts to add dental, vision, hearing, and compression garments for lymphedema patients have gone up/down but, most recent attempt, only hearing made it to the bill passed by the House. We shall see what happens in the Senate.

THANK YOU for your message. I truly appreciate reading about some light at the end of the Medicare tunnel.

Onward!

Pat Egan

RE: Private medical insurance

Patricia Egan — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 23:15:57 +0000

@kevin Thank you, Kevin. This is very helpful. I have been quiet for a few weeks because, following receipt of my Stamp 0 acceptance letter, I made a quick trip to Dublin to put things into order.

I have requested the PPSN and reached out to VHI for a quote. My understanding is that I need to have a residential address in place before VHI will proceed with a private health policy. (I now have a property under contract.) In my discussions with Medicare, I learned that I can keep Part A, release Part B, keep Part D (prescriptions) as long as I have either Part A or Part B, and release my supplemental plan. I had a discussion with a firm that provides health insurance plans for people who are truly multinational; the premiums run $4600+ per year. If we are only traveling to the US to visit, not to spend part of the year in US and part in IE, travelers insurance should provide basic coverage should there be a need. At least this is what I have been told.

All the comments and suggestions on this discussion thread are very, very helpful. THANK YOU - everyone - for posting from your experience.

Kind regards

Pat

RE: Private medical insurance

kevin howe — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 20:57:57 +0000

@pegan875 Hi, Patricia...A couple notes regarding medical care and costs: When I arrived in Ireland four years ago, my family chose Irish Life Health for coverage. The premiums are MUCH lower than anything I ever saw in the States, and the care is excellent. Although I would have to say that when scheduling care, especially with a "Consultant" (what is called a "Specialist" in the States) the wait-time can be much longer (months) than what you are used to, but visiting your GP (General Practitioner/ Family Doctor) is a different story; we get in the same day (if necessary) or within the week...One unexpected consequence of my Irish Life Health policy, however, was that I was faced with a 'waiting period' of six months from the date that our policy began. My wife and children received coverage immediately, but because of my age (65 at the time) I literally had coverage, but could not file any claim for 6 months. I feel as though it was the insurance company's way of avoiding pre-existing conditions. Luckily I was in good health and it was a non-issue, but important to know. (And with that in mind, I would be reluctant to imply any causal connection between a current condition and something you felt or experienced in the past, if you get my drift!)...

I enrolled in Medicare while in he US, but since I'm eligible for medical care through the VA, I never relied on Medicare. As Chris Gwaltney mentioned, though, it might prove helpful to maintain coverage if you're planning on a return and extended stay in the States. (For more common visits/vacations back to the States, Irish Life Health -and others- offers traveller's insurance to cover you when away from Ireland.)

Worth noting is that here in Ireland, the HSE (the equivalent of the Dept of Health and Human Services) offers a 'Drug Payment Scheme' card which entitles you to a cap on prescriptions at €114 per month. It's not means tested, and any age qualifies, as long as you are an "ordinary resident" of Ireland (plan to live here for at least a year). Also a plan that may cover you is the HSE 'GP visit card'. If you're over 70, it's not means tested; you simply apply, and with your card you don't pay to see your doctor (GP). Under 70 is means tested.

It saddens me to think of folks back in the States (and I knew a few) who postponed seeing a doctor or were inattentive to their health and wellness because of the costs involved. That shouldn't be an issue for you here.

Hope this helps.

RE: Private medical insurance

Chris Gwaltney — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 10:48:03 +0000

I kept medicare in case I ever needed to return to US. There is a heavy penalty. I can also telemed with my doctor. I will need to see if supplemental is needed once I settle. I may drop that part. GP and prescriptions are not expensive in Ireland, at least not fir what we need.

RE: Private medical insurance

Patricia Egan — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 00:46:41 +0000

@gwalt

Thank you, Chris. I had not realized that it would be allowed to keep Medicare.

Private medical insurance

Chris Gwaltney — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 23:34:43 +0000

I went with Irish Life. I kept my medicare but it is of no use in Ireland.

RE: Private medical insurance

Patricia Egan — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 22:16:55 +0000

@moveclubadmin Thank you. I need to learn the protocols.

RE: Private medical insurance

Liam — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 22:13:22 +0000

@pegan875 Hi Patricia, and welcome to the site. It's best to tag someone with @ + username to get their attention. e.g. your question was for @pam

RE: Private medical insurance

Patricia Egan — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 22:30:01 +0000

Thank you, Pam and Chris.

May I ask if you encountered any difficulties with Medicare when your mum moved to private insurance in IE?

I am trying to anticipate any administrative headaches and address them in advance.

Thank you for whatever you can share.

Pat Egan
(relocating from Northern California)

RE: Private medical insurance

Pam — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 21:08:47 +0000

just make sure that your plan covers private hospitals