VIVAS Health policies to cover laser eye surgery

VIVAS Health have announced plans to become the first health insurer in Ireland to offer cover for laser eye surgery.

From next Monday laser eye surgery will be covered on all of its hospital health insurance policies.

VIVAS Health is partnering with Optilase Laser Eye Clinic and will cover all its members undergoing Wavefront laser eye surgery, which has been clinically proven to provide an increased success rate for laser eye surgery.

According to clinical trials submitted to the FDA, the Wavefront procedure has an increased likelihood of achieving improved visual quality and contrast compared with standard treatments. Over 70% of patients at Optilase Laser Eye Clinic opt for Wavefront surgery.

It is estimated that over 8,000 people underwent laser eye treatment in Ireland over the past year.

Oliver Tattan, chief executive VIVAS Health said: “At our launch last year, VIVAS Health said that we would bring both product and price innovation to the health insurance market. One year on, and we are again the first to offer an innovative and increasingly popular surgical procedure to our members.”

“The announcement today allows Irish consumers to avail of laser eye surgery at a highly competitive price,” he added.

VIVAS Health will cover €1,000 of the cost of Wavefront laser eye surgery on all plans with no exceptions.

Mr Tattan added: “When you take tax relief into account, which consumers can claim from the revenue commissioners under the MED1 year-end procedure, this will mean that Irish consumers can now undergo laser eye surgery for as little as €1,154, less than half the current price.”