Keeping your health in check

There are a range of screening options available to those who want to keep an eye on their health

IT’S SOMETHING most of us plan to do, but rarely get around to it. However, taking the time to have a full health check-up, a sort of NCT for your body, can be a worthwhile – if expensive – experience.

Originally aimed at busy professionals, “executive medicals” or health screenings are now popular among a much wider audience as more people look to put control of their health into their own hands.

Q What kind of screening options are there?

A In Dublin, Charter Medical Group offers a “standard screen”, which involves a consultation with a nurse for height, weight, blood pressure and blood tests and lasts for about 40 minutes. It is recommended for “busy young people who already enjoy good health as a measure of hidden health indicators”.

Similarly, the Well Clinic, which has locations in the Beacon Clinic in Dublin and at City Gate in Cork, offers a concise option, the Silver Executive medical, which is aimed at the under- 40s and takes 75 minutes.

If, however, you would like a more in-depth medical appraisal, you can undergo a lengthier screening process.

At the Well Clinic, you can get a Platinum medical for men, or a Diamond medical for women, aged 40-60. The tests take about three hours to complete and involve an initial meeting with a specialist nurse followed by an hour-long consultation with a doctor. In addition to medical tests, the review also includes a lifestyle analysis, a stress assessment and a review of current diet and exercise regime.

Another option is the New Horizons medical at the Well, which is aimed at those over the age of 60, and incorporates particular tests for conditions that may be more prevalent as one gets older. It takes about four hours to complete and is delivered by a nurse and doctor team.

Irish Health Care offers medicals at private clinics around the State, including the Galway Clinic, Blackrock Clinic and Hermitage Clinic. The process takes up to three-and-a-half hours, and gives an in-depth indication of your health profile.

Q What is covered in the screening?

A The contents of the screening will depend on the type of screen chosen, as well as the provider offering it, but in general will include a health and lifestyle evaluation, as well as tests such as the following:

Blood pressure measurement and evaluation.

Cholesterol test.

Urinalysis, including glucose and protein, to check kidney function and to screen for diabetes.

Lung function test.

Heart assessment.

Visual assessment.

Some of the screenings on offer are nurse led, while others involve both a doctor and a nurse, so check before you commit to make sure you get the level of service you desire.

Q What happens next?

A After the screening, it is likely that you will be sent a full written report detailing and interpreting the results of the medical.

It may suggest that you need follow-up tests or that you should visit your GP or optician, or it may recommend lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise.

Q How much does an executive medical cost?

A An executive medical can leave a substantial dent in your wallet, but there is a wide range of options available.

For example, if you’re looking for a limited screening process, Charter Medical Group’s 40-minute medical review costs €180, rising to €295 for a 90-minute screen.

At the top of the price bracket are health screens offered by private hospitals around the State. For example, the Well Clinic charges €560, while Irish Health Care also charges the same amount.

If you need additional tests which aren’t included in the screenings, you may have to pay extra. For example, Irish Health Care charges €160 for a vascular ultrasound, while mole mapping costs €200 at the Well Clinic, and a mammogram €190.

Q Can you get money back on the cost?

A While many companies offer complementary health checks for their staff every couple of years, if this isn’t the case for you, it is possible to claim some of the costs back.

If you’re a member of Quinn Health, you may be able to get some of the cost refunded, depending on what type of plan you have. For example, under the insurer’s Health Manager plan, you can get 50 per cent back on the cost of a health check in a number of centres including the Blackrock Clinic and Mater Private in Dublin and the Bon Secours in Cork, every two years.

At the VHI, a health screening allowance is available under many plans. For example, under the insurer’s Family Plan Plus Level 2 scheme you can get up to €200 back for a check-up every two years, while a refund of up to €100 is available on Family Plan Level 1, and €200 on its Health Steps Gold plan, again every two years.

Hibernian Aviva offers an allowance of €50-€100 a year on its Day to Day plans for health screening, while it also offers refunds on a number of plans for services provided by the Charter Medical Group and EHA.

For example, under its Level 1 Everyday plan, a refund of €100 is available every two years on a screen.

There is also the option of claiming the cost of a health check back against your tax, by submitting a Med 1 form to the Revenue Commissioners at the end of the tax year.

Relief is now granted at the standard rate of tax, 20 per cent. So, without health insurance cover, the cost of a full medical with Irish Health Care will set you back €448, when the relief is discounted from the full price.