Health Insurance

I have health insurance. Ever since I was a baby my parents paid VHI for my whole family. They feared, like many Irish people do, that they would have to endure the substandard conditions of our public hospitals. Something like 50% of our total population have health insurance, this is one of the highest rates in Europe.

Thankfully I never had to use my VHI. If I was in an accident and needed emergency treatment, having insurance would be of no advantage. In that case I would be rushed to the nearest A&E, in a public hospital. Private hospitals generally do not have 24 hour emergency operating theatres or intensive care facilities. If you suddenly get sick in a private hospital, there is usually only one house doctor on duty, as compared to a whole team of doctors in public hospitals. Privately you do have consultant cover. That’s not much good to you if your consultant has to travel to the hospital from home.

Equally if I got caner I would opt to be treated in a public hospital. Cancer drugs are extremely expensive and cost the private hospitals huge financial losses. Consequently, private hospitals limit the amount of patients to be treated with chemotherapy each day. This results in waiting lists in for chemo patients, in private hospitals. This is virtually unheard of in public hospitals, as they don’t have any limits on the amount of patients treated daily.

On the other hand, conditions in our public hospitals are poor. Between over crowding and MRSA, it’s no wonder that many people opt for private care.
There is no doubt that health insurance has its advantages; waiting times are drastically reduced (excluding oncology), you may get a private room and the food is typically nicer. However, patients are under the misapprehension that, because they are paying for the care, that it’s superior to care in the public service.