Insurers mix and match

All three health insurers have made enhancements to their main hospital plans in recent weeks.

VHI has launched BabyTalk, a new maternity helpline staffed by qualified midwives. Members of all of its plans can register at www.vhi.ie/babytalk or at 1850 247 724. A midwife will then arrange to ring the expectant mother at agreed intervals throughout the pregnancy and up to six months after the child is born, giving advice and support on areas such as breastfeeding, immunisations and developmental check-ups.

Bupa has given its members access to a second-opinion service called Best Doctors in the event they are diagnosed with a serious illness. If a specialist from the Best Doctors panel identifies a treatment that is not available in the Irish market, Bupa says it will provide a benefit toward the cost of that treatment abroad.

Vivas Health announced it is covering laser eye surgery on all of its main hospital plans, making it the first insurer to do so. Vivas will cover €1,000 of the cost of laser eye surgery if it is conducted at Optilase Laser Eye Clinic in Dublin. The procedure for both eyes costs €2,990, but with the Vivas cover and the available tax relief, the cost shrinks to either €1,154 or €1,592 depending on the customer's tax rate.

VHI has also rejigged the dental product it sells in association with an American company called DeCare. There is now one single dental plan available for a lower cost than before, with discount rates applying to VHI members and people who are entitled to dental benefits as a result of their PRSI contributions.

VHI is still the only company selling specific dental plans, although cover is also available as part of day-to-day medical plans sold by HSA Healthcare.

Consumers responding to a Health Insurance Authority survey identified more dental care, GP cover and outpatient cover as the top three things they would like to see included in their existing policies.

VHI's Life Stages plans and Bupa's Health manager plans include some cover for day-to-day medical expenses such as GP visits, while this cover can be purchased as an add-on to the Vivas plans.

For information on product comparisons, visit the Health Insurance Authority's website at www.hia.ie