BUPA Ireland has introduced a new health insurance package which, together with hospital cover, allows policy-holders to immediately claim up to 50 per cent of the cost of a range of out-patient treatments. These include half the fees charged by GPs and by approved alternative therapists in acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic and osteopathy.

With the Health-Manager plan, families can receive up to £6,000 (€7,618) of their out-patient fees without having to pay an excess on their policy. If the total amount spend on out-patient treatment is more than £500 a year, BUPA is undertaking to pay 75 per cent of that amount.

The plan includes other features such as an executive health check, access to a special health information line and child counselling services.

The maternity benefits have also been enhanced. In addition to the £1,000 maternity grant available, BUPA will cover post-natal benefits such as dietetic advice, midwife services, maternity bras and counselling for post-natal depression

Health-Manager costs £449 per year for an adult who is a member of a group scheme. It rises to £465 otherwise. For students and children the group rate is £165. To upgrade to Health-Manager from another BUPA plan will cost £150 to qualify for immediate cover and policy holders are entitled to claim tax relief on their premiums.

Maternity benefits are not covered in the first year following the upgrade. New members of BUPA must also wait six months to be fully covered, while anyone with a pre-existing health condition is not covered for five years.

The VHI has been negotiating for some months with the Irish Medical Organisation on the introduction of a scheme to cover the full cost of a number of family doctor visits per year. BUPA says it has gained 10 per cent of the Irish health insurance market since it was established in 1997, claiming that between 40 and 45 per cent of its 170,000 members have transferred from the VHI.