Sir, – I read with a lot of sympathy Julian McCormick’s letter (Letters, September 28th). To call the way health insurers operate obfuscation is quite generous.
Being currently in the process of renewing my own health insurance, it is a nightmare. What is particularly galling is the so-called “High-Tech Hospitals” access, which requires a significantly higher premium. As with many other patients, it is difficult when one attends a consultant only to find out that they only work in a private hospital not covered by your plan, despite the fact that you are having a relatively simple procedure carried out.
Surely it makes no difference where non-high-tech procedures are carried out, as the cost should not differ?
I do not understand what a high-tech hospital actually means. The concept of a high-tech procedure is obviously straightforward and would include such procedures as spinal surgery and cardiac surgery.
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It seems ridiculous that a hospital is designated as high-tech but carries out simple procedures that are not covered by a lower plan. Surely a copay for a high-tech procedure would be accepted by most people, but to designate a hospital as such seems at best ridiculous.
The fact that even day case procedures are not covered in high-tech hospitals on a lower plan is even more egregious due to the lack of necessity for any high-tech requirements. Perhaps someday the Health Insurance Authority will actually regulate the healthcare insurance industry. – Yours, etc,
PETER O’ROURKE FRCS,
Retired consultant orthopaedic surgeon,
Ramelton,
Co Donegal.
