{"id":924,"date":"2020-06-08T11:05:17","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T11:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irelandinarabic.org\/?p=924"},"modified":"2020-06-14T12:51:46","modified_gmt":"2020-06-14T12:51:46","slug":"health-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irelandinarabic.org\/?p=924&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Health Insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Health insurance covers medical or hospital expenses if you get sick, have an accident or need an operation. Ireland\u2019s Public Health Insurance System<\/p>\n

The best part about using the local health insurance system in Ireland is that it is affordable and, in general, offers excellent care. It\u2019s hard to argue with that combination! Ireland offers one of the highest standards of public healthcare in the world and it offers good value to users.<\/p>\n

However, patients requiring non-urgent care often have to wait to receive it. Ireland\u2019s waiting lists to see specialists are long and only growing longer. As well, if you live in a rural area and require special care, you may need to travel to a city hospital to receive the treatment you need. Sometimes those appointments come up without much notice and making arrangements to attend is disruptive.<\/p>\n

The first thing to do when you start living in Ireland is to register with General Practitioner (GP). This is the first line of contact regarding your medical services. If you get sick, call your GP and make an appointment. You will be asked to pay the GP consultation fees, your GP will then give you medication or refer you to a specialist, hospital, or even for a scan.<\/p>\n

If the GP decided to refer you to a specialist, he may ask you if you would refer you to public or private service. Here comes the role of private insurance. The waiting list for public service for certain referrals might be years, and for the same thing using private service for a few months<\/p>\n

Children under six years old are covered under what o called GP visit card, this card makes you Child\u2019s GP visit free.<\/p>\n

Do you have to buy private health insurance in Ireland?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Short Answer No.<\/p>\n

Private health insurance in Ireland is optional. If you are ordinarily resident in Ireland, you are entitled to receive public in-patient and out-patient hospital services. This means that you do not have to take out private health insurance to access hospital services. If you do not buy private health insurance, you are entitled to services in the public hospital system on the basis of clinical need.<\/p>\n

If you have a baby and are not covered for maternity services under private health insurance, you will still be able to access maternity care through the public healthcare system<\/a>. All expectant mothers who are ordinarily resident in the State are entitled to free maternity care.<\/p>\n

This includes antenatal visits, labour and delivery, and postnatal care.<\/p>\n

Even if you have private health insurance you can still access public health services. Similarly, if admitted to hospital, you will need to tell the hospital whether you want to be admitted as a public or a private patient.<\/p>\n

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What are the main benefits of private health insurance?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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