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VIVAS Health launches range of new healthcare and dental cosmetic treatments to their existing plan range.

With effect from 1 March 2006, VIVAS Health is adding some new plans and enhanced benefits to their existing plan range.

The main elements of the new plans and benefits are as follows:

New 'Day to Day 50 Plan'

This new plan is really an extension of the existing 'Day to Day' plans from VIVAS Health in that it guarantees a refund (up to certain limits) of 50 per cent of a wide range of typically out-patient medical expenses and is similar to the out-patient benefits offered by BUPA’s HealthManager plans.

For example this plan will pay 50 per cent of the cost of a GP visit to a max of €30 per visit per person and capped at a maximum of 15 visits per person per year. Essentially therefore if your GP charges you €50 for a visit you will receive a €25 refund (up to 15 visits a year). The maximum visits can be pooled if more than one person is covered on the policy.

For the first time however in the Irish Health insurance market this new plan will cover a portion of the cost of prescription medication (50 per cent refund of charge to max of €25 per year per person).

Some of the benefits included on this plan are GP visits, consultant visits, routine dental visits, child counselling, health screening etc.

The new plan can be purchased as a stand alone plan or bought as an addition to an existing hospital plan from VIVAS Health. Indeed this plan can be purchased by those who may have their hospital plan with either BUPA Ireland or VHI.

Maternity Benefit increases

VIVAS Health is also enhancing their Maternity Grant in Aid allowances for admissions to private facilities on or after 1 March 2006 as follows:

Plan Old allowance New allowance 'I' & 'We' Level 1 €1,600 €1,600 'I' & 'We' Level 2 €2,200 €2,700 'I' & 'We' Level 3 €2,300 €2,700 'I' & 'We' Level 4 €2,400 €2,800 'I' & 'We' Level 5 €2,500 €3,000

'Doula Ireland' – Maternity benefit

Effective from 1 March 2006, VIVAS Health will offer its members cover towards the Doula Ireland HypnoBirth package. This can include:

• Two individual home visit
• Development of a birth plan to discuss expectations of birth
• Hypnobirthing classes (not available in all areas)
• 24/7 phone support in the two weeks before expected date of delivery
• Support in labour and up to one hour after birth
• Two home visits post birth
• The standard cost of this service is €900 but is reduced to €700 for VIVAS Health members on the 'I' or 'We' plan range. A further rebate of €300 is also available on completion of this benefit.

Teeth Whitening

This is certainly a first in Ireland for a private health insurer to cover part of the cost of cosmetic dental procedures. The treatments covered are only with the Smiles Cosmetic Dental Clinic and the contribution from VIVAS Health does depend on the specific treatment chosen.

There are currently four options available to VIVAS Health members as follows

Treatment Cost to member Contribution from VIVAS Health 'Smiles in Office treatment' €600 €250 'Smiles at Home matrix kit' €350 €75 'Smiles in Office treatment and at Home matrix kit' €750 €250 Dental Veneers by Lumineers treatment €3,750 €500

The VIVAS Health member does not have to serve any waiting periods for the above allowances and will have a free consultation with Smiles Clinic to ensure suitability for relevant procedures.

'I' and 'We' Level 2 with excess

Also from 1 March 2006, VIVAS Health are introducing a new plan type which reduces the premium payable by a member on the basis that should that member spend a night in a private room in a private hospital then the first €75 is payable by the member.

This is exactly the same as is available on BUPA Ireland’s Essential Plus with €80 excess and VHI’s Plan B with excess which also carries a €75 excess although this is increasing to €100 from 1 September 2006.

The addition of benefits such as outlined above once more shows that with the increased competition, price differences and choice of plans available the review of your healthcare / health insurance provision may prove to be a very worthwhile exercise.

Watson Wyatt Ireland's established Healthcare consulting practice is uniquely placed to help you review your existing arrangements and provide independent advise as to how you might maximise your health insurance benefit offering and identify potential cost savings.