Skip the public waiting lists by using a little-known European directive
You pay the hospital provider upfront for your treatment and then seek a refund from the HSE. Photo: Getty Images
It’s been peak season for renewing health insurance, with half the country’s insured adults renewing their cover between January 1 and February 28. But a combination of price hikes by health insurers – including one from VHI that kicks in today – and a government levy that will rise to €517 on April 1 means private medical insurance is increasingly becoming a luxury good for squeezed households.
Dermot Wells, head of health and general insurance at Cornmarket, Ireland’s largest health insurance broker, estimates that premiums are an average 25pc higher than they were three years ago.