Are you claiming back money on your osteopathy visits?
- Posted by irishhealthinsurance
- On August 24, 2011
- 0
At Irish Health Insurance we are committed to promoting all the benefits of private health insurance above and beyond simply hospital treatment. We believe that if you are paying for the benefit, you should make sure you benefit where at all possible. One of the many areas that we have seen an increasing interest in from our clients (including myself) is the area of osteopathy. Unfortunately in these times of recession many of us will put a lot of our outpatient appointments on the long finger due to financial constraints. Many people will take solace in the fact that some of these expenses are refundable through their private health insurance but with over 218 plans now available on the market you may not be on the bets plan to avail of. The average number of visits an osteopathy client will make to an osteopath is 4 visits per year; however the majority of these people are not on best plans to allow for the maximum return on expenses. Being on the right plan could see you receiving a cheque for as much as €750 at the end of the year which is excellent when you consider that some of these plans cost little more than that per annum.
VHI and Aviva both have plans that will allow you reclaim up to €40 for up to 12 visits or €30 for up to 25 visits. These options allow you to choose which plan best suits your needs depending on the frequency of your visits. Quinn however will allow a maximum of 50% of the costs back. Therefore, unless you are paying more than €80 per visit to your osteopath, Vhi and Aviva will offer the greater percentage return.
Here are some of the plans that you might consider. It is important to note that depending on the plan you are currently on, choosing any one of these plans could mean unwanted changes in the overall level of your benefits, therefore please consult with an independent health insurance specialist to ensure that you are happy with the overall package.
Aviva
| 1 | Level 1 & 2 Everyday | €30 x 25 visits |
| 2 | Family Health with Day to Day | |
| 3 | Business Plan Select | €25 x 7 |
| 4 | Business Plan Extra | 50% up to a maximum of €30 x 25 visits |
| 5 | Business Plan Complete | €40 x 12 visits |
Quinn:
| 1 | Health Manager Plan Range | 50% x 12 visits |
| 2 | Company Plan Range | 50% x 12 visits |
| 3 | Personal Care | 50% x 12 visits |
Vhi:
| 1 | Family Plan Plus | Level 1 €25 x 7 | Level 2 €35 x 7 |
| 2 | Company Plan Extra | Level 1 €35 x 7 | Level 2 €40 x 12 |
It is important to note that you are entitled to claim 20% tax relief on whatever you can’t claim back from your health insurance.
See the following example:
| Cost of Osteopath visit | €60 |
| Maximum expenses paid by health Insurance | €40 |
| Remainder | €20 |
| €20 less 20% tax relief | €4 |
| Total amount reclaimed | €44 |
In this example your visit will only have cost you €16.
Therefore the only remaining question is, If your osteopath only cost you €16 per visit, how often would you go?
There are currently 120 osteopaths registered with the Osteopathic Council of Ireland. Ensuring that you use one of their members ensures that you will be able to claim your expenses.
Patrick Brennan
Director of Corporate Business
Irish Health Insurance
Please CONTACT US if you wish to discuss how this impacts your premiums, or if you need help to understand the best deals on the market in Health Insurance.