Five new health-care plans are to be introduced by the VHI today. Health insurance subscribers will be offered the new benefits from next week. It is a major announcement for the VHI which is adding to its existing five main insurance plans. The new products, to be announced by the acting chief executive, Mr Aidan Walsh, will offer enhanced benefits on top of those available under the current plans.
There will be no price increases for the company's 1.4 million subscribers for existing products. However, there will be new charges for the additional or top-up products. The new products, according to a report in yesterday's Sunday Tribune, include insurance cover for GP visits and out-patient consultations with hospital specialists.
The amount that subscribers have to pay themselves before they can claim from their health insurance will also reportedly be lowered for visits to GPs.
It is believed that they will give VHI subscribers to the lower plans greater cover for services such as heart operations in private hospitals. A scheme offering a discount rate for students is also believed to be part of the package, besides overseas health insurance.
The VHI has spent a number of years developing the new healthcare plans. They were approved by the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, in recent weeks. They are seen as a key element in the battle against the rival health insurance firm, BUPA.
VHI recently increased its premium by 9 per cent. The prices, particularly for Plan B subscribers, are significantly higher than those charged by BUPA.