Focus on Travel Insurance
The Cystic Fibrosis Association has highlighted the difficulty of obtaining travel insurance for persons with pre-existing medical conditions. One of the few insurance companies in Ireland (ACE insurance) who covered pre-existing medical conditions for people without private health insurance has withdrawn cover for people with pre-existing medical conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis. Spokesperson for the CFAI Tom?s Thompson says ?The withdrawal of cover will affect the holiday plans for many families this summer and it highlights the difficulty people with pre-existing medical conditions have getting travel insurance in Ireland, forcing many to look to the UK for cover?. The company?s actions will have implication on other private health insurers such as Quinn Health and AIB travel policies as both are underwritten by ACE insurance. The CFAI is advising anyone with a pre-existing medical condition, to contact there insurer and get conformation that there condition is covered for the country they plan to travel this summer as many policies also do not cover the USA & North America. The CFAI is also concerned that the planned sell off of the VHI who are currently one of the few insures for people pre-existing medical conditions may take similar line if sold off in the future. Any sale of the VHI should require the new owners to continue the same level of cover for people with pre-existing medical conditions in the future. The government should protect the right to travel insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions in the same way they have protected older people through risk equalization.
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