 Lyons Financial Services are delighted to inform you today that every Irish Life Health customer will benefit from a reduction in their health insurance premiums in the form of a rebate offset against the normal premium for a three month period. The rebate is being introduced for all customers and follows temporary changes to how the hospital system will operate as a result of the Covid-19 emergency.
Jim Dowdall, Irish Life Health’s Managing Director said: “We are committed to providing every possible support to our customers, while also fully supporting the Government in its response to this national crisis”.
“We are reducing our premiums to the maximum possible extent for each and every policyholder whilst at the same time ensuring we are in a position to pay ongoing and future claims. In addition, Irish Life Health customers now have access to an innovative new offering and enhanced benefits to support them in these worrying times. These include a Nurse led remote monitoring and clinical support service for individuals with suspected or actual COVID-19 infection and digital appointments with doctors, consultants and nurses for non-COVID-19 related illnesses.”
The reduction will be applied retrospectively to premiums paid by our customers for April, May and June and will be offset against premiums due in subsequent months. Exact details of rebates at a policy level will be communicated directly with policyholders in the coming weeks.
The Government health insurance levy, which is a significant component of customers’ premium, is fully payable by Irish Life Health during this period, and therefore will not be reflected in the rebate. The premium reduction will be in place for the three months when the private hospitals will operate as part of the public health system with potential further adjustments should access to private hospital treatments remain restricted or if claims experience differs after this initial period.
We know that you may have questions so we’ve tried to answer most of them below. We will contact customers directly to advise them of the premium rebate and follow up with a specific communication outlining the amount we will be rebating to you and appreciate your patience while this detail is being confirmed.
New and Enhanced Offerings
Today, we’re also announcing a new offering and new ways to access some of your existing benefits. We hope that these will make a difference for you at this time. These are:
- Access to a remote Covid-19 monitoring and clinical support service for individuals with suspected Covid-19 and those suffering with symptoms in self-isolation. This nurse-led service is sponsored by Irish Life Health and available to all of our customers.
- Virtual appointments with doctors, consultants and nurses for non-Coronavirus related illnesses can now be claimed back through your day to day benefits (in line with your Plan benefits). Virtual appointments across many specialities including maternity, paediatrics and mental health may also now be claimed back.
- In addition, you’ll still have access to our 24/7 Digital Doctor, Nurse on Call and Healthy Minds services.
More detail on all of these can be found here.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Following the Government’s announcement to establish a single national healthcare response to the COVID-19 crisis the health insurance industry received confirmation, for the period of the crisis, that access to private and public hospital services will be restricted to critical and time dependent medical care. Health insurance customers will continue to be charged, (through their health insurer) for treatments for private care in public hospitals; psychiatric care - both inpatient and outpatient; maternity care and a range of other services. In addition, health insurance customers will pay the statutory public hospital charge that will be charged by the 18 private hospitals that are now part of this agreement, which is €80 a day up to a maximum of 10 days per year.
The Government health insurance levy is payable by insurers once a year in respect of each health insurance customer and is collected through health insurance premiums. The cost of the levy for policies that renewed before April 1st is €444 for an advanced plan (with more than 66% access to any private cover) and €177 for a non-advanced plan (which provides for largely public hospital cover).
How much will my rebate be?
Customers with private hospital cover (advanced plans) will receive between 36% and 60% of their monthly premium back, and those on plans with largely public hospital cover (non-advanced plans) between 17% and 21% depending on their specific policy and less the Government levy which is still payable for the period.
Over the coming weeks, we will be contacting every policyholder individually to let them know how much their rebate will be.
Why am I not getting my full month’s premium refunded to me?
There are different factors that make up your premium some of which will still be required:
1. The government health insurance levy is required by legislation to still be paid during this period. The cost of the levy for policies that renewed before April 1st is €444 for an advanced plan (with more than 66% access to any Private Cover) and €177 for a non-advanced plan (which provides for largely public hospital cover).
2. Health insurance customers will continue to be charged, (through their health insurer) for treatments for private care in public hospitals; psychiatric care - both inpatient and outpatient; maternity care and a range of other services. In addition, health insurance customers will pay the statutory public hospital charge if attending the 18 Private hospitals that are now part of this agreement.
How will I get my rebate?
This depends on how you currently pay your premium.
If you pay by salary deduction or by direct debit, the rebate will be applied retrospectively to premiums paid by customers for April, May and June and will be offset against premiums due in the following months.
If you paid your premium by credit card or cheque, you will get a one-time rebate by cheque.
I’d prefer my rebate to be paid directly into my bank account
Unfortunately, we can’t facilitate this.
If you pay by salary deduction or by direct debit, your rebate will be off-set against your premiums due in the following months.
If you paid your premium by credit card or cheque, you will get your one-time rebate by cheque
When will I get my rebate?
The timing is yet to be confirmed but we will contact you directly, over the coming weeks, to let you know the amount of your rebate and how and when you will get this rebate.
How will you be contacting me to tell me what my specific premium rebate is?
If you have provided us with your email address, we will send you this information in an email. If we don’t have your email address, you will receive a letter in the post. If you paid your premium by cheque or credit card, you will receive a letter by post
What if the situation continues? Will you extend the rebate?
The premium reduction will be in place for the three months when the private hospitals will operate as part of the public health system. Should access to private hospital treatments remain restricted or if claims experience differs after this initial period, there is potential for further adjustments.
Is there any value in having health insurance at the moment?
Although there will be a reduction in private treatments during this period, treatment for conditions that are considered critical/ time dependent by a Medical Consultant will still happen.
We also expect that once the situation improves, routine medical treatment will re-commence.
You can continue to access the benefits from your health insurance including unlimited 24/7 access to our Digital Doctor, Nurse on Call and Healthy Minds services
I can no longer afford my health insurance - what payment support can you offer?
If you are experiencing financial difficulties associated with this current pandemic, email health@LFS.ie and we’ll call you to discuss alternative payment options
What is the Government health insurance levy?
The Government health insurance levy is a stamp duty which health insurers must pay to the Revenue Commissioners on each health insurance plan sold. The government levy is paid into a central fund and is redistributed by the Government to maintain a health insurance system where a person’s age or health does not determine the level of premium they pay.
The levy makes up a significant portion of your premium and is still payable through this period. The cost of the levy for policies that renewed before April 1st is €444 for an advanced plan (with more than 66% access to any Private Cover) and €177 for a non-advanced plan (which provides for largely public hospital cover).
What is an advanced plan?
An advanced plan is a plan which covers you for mostly private hospital care. A plan must provide more than 66% cover in private hospitals to be considered an advanced plan. Members on an advanced plan will pay a higher premium that those on a non-advanced plan
What is a non-advanced plan?
A non-advanced plan is a plan which covers you for mostly public hospital care. A plan must provide less than 66% cover in private hospitals to be considered a non-advanced plan. Members on a non-advanced plan will pay a lower premium that those on an advanced plan.
What if I just recently bought a policy – will I get the rebate?
The refund will apply to Irish Life Health members on their premium’s for the months of April, May & June
Will I get the rebate if I buy a policy now?
The refund will apply to Irish Life Health members on their premium’s for the months of April, May & June
What is the Coronavirus Programme?
The Coronavirus Programme is managed by CentricGP healthcare professionals. This service is an additional support for those with symptoms of the Coronavirus infection and provides unlimited access to an online monitoring platform. Once accepted to the programme, you track your symptoms daily through the app and a clinical team monitors these symptoms, 7 days a week, and contacts you if they believe you require testing or treatment
What is a virtual appointment?
A virtual appointment may happen for non-Covid related illnesses if you cannot attend a healthcare provider in person. For example, if you are cocooning at home, you may decide to have a phone consultation with your G.P. instead of attending the G.P. surgery in person.
Virtual appointments across many specialities including maternity, paediatrics and mental health can now be claimed back through your day to day benefits (in line with your Plan benefits).
How can I submit a claim for a virtual appointment?
For the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic, we will be accepting claims for virtual appointments. The process for claiming remains the same. You can submit your receipts through your online account. Receipts must show:
>The amount paid;
>The full name of the member receiving treatment and their date of birth;
>The date the treatment was received;
>The type of practitioner that you attended;
>The name, address and qualifications of the practitioner providing the care, on the practitioner’s headed paper.
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