| Quote: | |  | |
| As far as I know the VHI is an additional health insurance in Ireland which deals with addionals like eye surgery, dental treatments etc. The basics health insurance (bhi) are payed with your income taxes. | |
| | |
This is not entirely correct. In Ireland everyone who works pays PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance), I think this is what you are referring to as "bhi". PRSI is your contribution towards unemployment assistance, public pension etc. As far as I am aware it could also be partly for the HSE (Health Service Executive) but I am not sure about this.
In Ireland we have a public health system like in the UK. People who earn below a certain threshold get a medical card and this provides them with access to medical services on a public basis. People are entitled to a basic health service almost free of charge (you pay something like 50euro for a A&E visit etc). If you want private or semi-private care then you need to get VHI. The majority of people choose to take VHI as it limits waiting time for non essential surgery etc.
Things like Dental cover are a separate issue under the Irish system.
What people need to realise is that VHI global is a different product (
for Irish people, who are resident outside the republic of Ireland and intend to return.)
I will be very soon putting in a claim with VHI global for Dental care I have recieved in Switzerland. I will report here on how the claim goes.
| Quote: | | | |
| In Switzerland it is a bit different because you dont pay the bhi in your tax, that is why you have to have the bhi mandatory. But you can choose between different companies and prices.
For all additions you can choose different policies for example Eye surgery or dental t. which cost ~10sfr/month/person. | |
| | |
Agreed, there is no real public health system in Switzerland as there is in Ireland so you need to have a form of private health Insurance. The product VHI offer for Irish people abroad should really cover this!!!
| Quote: | | | |
| I would suggest to arrange a meeting with your GP and discuss the issue with him about a non planed visit in a Swiss hospital with beeing resident and dont pay swiss health insurance.
It would be the same as I would tell the state that they have to reduce my tax payment because I pay health insurance in Switzerland.
It dont work like that. | |
| | |
Its not quite the same, it would be more like not paying your AHV (I think this is the correct term) in Switzerland rather then not paying your health insurance.
As a Swiss person you need to have some form of Insurance in Ireland. EU citizens are covered under their public health systems in their home country and there is an agreement on medical care carried out in member states (Form E111 as far as I remember).