Over 70s who left the VHI for medical card...

[Mr. Greasy Till]

If you, or someone you know who is over 70, left the VHI when the free medical card was introduced the VHI will reactivate policies for a down payment of several thousand (to cover the amount of money you would have paid over the years had you not left). The waiting period of two years before the plan is activated will not be reapplied. The horrific possibility of resetting the ten year wait regarding pre-existing conditions will not be happening either, so pre-existing illnesses will be covered ten years from the date of the original application. Anyone who had a plan with the VHI will still be on their database and can call them for a direct breakdown.

If the VHI did not take this route the government would have left around 120,000 over 70s uncovered for two years and if they had any pre-existing ailments, which is likely at that age, they would have been uncovered for treatment for ten years. ...Unbelievable.

The €400 annual payment that will be awarded to some former VHI policy holders after the medical card is removed will cover almost the entire annual fee for Plan B cover. So, this is at least a last resort for those who left the VHI and can afford the, on average, €4000 back payment. Of course, you might get the back payment paid by the government via legal action. I'm not a legal expert but the government have contravened HSE policy and were, after all, the reason many people left the VHI in the first place.

It is a pity to sue the state for any amount but the state is being run by people who seem hell bent on handing over public resources and funds to private enterprise anyway so why not make Harney's neo-liberal dream work for you? Then, once this stressful incident is behind you, you can gear up for the oncoming 'Fair Deal' nursing home policy, which ensures that you lose the right to leave your property to your offspring (should they have the audacity to be financially independent) or anyone else of your choice.

(Remember, the above applies only to former VHI customers in the event that the medical card is abolished, which is looking unlikely).

Hope that is understandable and helps ease the nerves of some former VHI customers who may not have been aware. Also, I hope it doesn't read like an ad for the VHI, who'll have the odd unsavoury caveat lurking in their policies.

[Schuhart]

I don't see the need for two threads. In the other thread I've queried why someone would have cancelled their private insurance covering hospital services because they were given free GP services. I mean, we've had universal access to hospital services since the 1980s. Hence, anyone with VHI cover was choosing to pay because they (presumably) didn't want to queue for a public bed. This is entirely independent (it seems to me) from the issue of medical cards.

I suggest replying in the other thread, as I've certainly no intention of talking in stereo.

[KingKane]

The topic is getting out of hand, we don't need endless splinter threads. I'm closing this as another duplicate of existing threads.