The world has been witnessing a drastic change in health over some time. Lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, respiratory problems, obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and stroke that were once common among older people have become rampant in the younger generation.
Whether it is hectic working hours, bad eating habits, mounting stress, technology addiction, poor meal planning, increasing pollution levels, or an unhealthy lifestyle, all the factors have made us vulnerable to many ailments.
With a rising prevalence of such ailments and sky-rocketing healthcare costs, a medical insurance policy has become necessary. It reduces your financial burden and acts as a backup during medical emergencies.
However, selecting the medical insurance plan for yourself is a challenging task. Availability of so many alternatives, complex terms and conditions, and lack of awareness can sometimes make you buy an unideal insurance plan.
Keep in mind the following essential features of a medical insurance policy to get the most suitable plan:
In-Patient Treatment
An important feature to look for in a medical insurance policy is in-patient treatment which means staying at a hospital for one night or more. It includes room rent, doctor fees, ICU charges, nursing charges, anaesthesia, and other hospitalisation expenses cover by the insurance company.
Maternity Coverage
If you are planning to have kids, you must choose an insurance plan for your family that offers the best maternity coverage. Labour and delivery expenses, c-section, pregnancy complications, hospital and room charges, newborn baby cover, necessary examinations, ambulance charges, and medically necessary terminations are some costs cover in the medical insurance plan with maternity cover. Moreover, most of them have a waiting period of 3-4 years, so you should not delay your decision and buy one in advance to enjoy its benefits.
Organ Transplantation Cover
Transplantation of the liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, pancreas and other organs requires a lot of money and can drain your savings. However, a medical insurance policy with organ transplantation coverage can reduce your financial stress and save you from unforeseen medical expenses. It helps cover the costs incurr by both the donor and donee during organ screening, hospitalisation, organ transplant surgery, monitoring, rectifying post-surgery complications, recovery, and others.
Lifetime Renewability
The presence of lifetime renewability in a medical insurance policy is a must as it permits the renewal of the coverage without any restrictions. It offers financial safety and avoids unwanted burdens by providing lifelong coverage against all the ailments mention in the policy. The lifetime renewability feature reduces the strain on their pockets in case of major illness for senior citizens. With rising healthcare expenses, the need for this coverage has increase significantly.
Coverage for Pre-existing Ailments
If the applicant is suffering from any ailment when taking a medical insurance policy, such a condition is call a pre-existing ailment or medical condition. To get your previous medical conditions insured, you must purchase an insurance plan offering coverage for pre-existing ailments. Diabetes, thyroid, high blood pressure and asthma are common pre-existing ailments, especially in older individuals.
However, most medical insurance policies have a waiting period ranging from months to years, and any claim made for ailments during this period will be rejected. So, select an insurer offering speedy coverage and catering to your needs.
Coverage for Day-Care Expenses
A medical insurance policy with coverage for day-care expenses can reduce your financial burden by covering the costs of treatments such as dialysis, chemotherapy, lithotripsy, cataract, tonsillectomy, and others. Those treatments don’t require hospitalisation and can get over within a few hours.
Coverage for OPD Dental Treatment
Though dental treatments, including root canals, tooth extractions, fillings, dentures, and others, are pretty expensive, we still need to take them at one point in our life. So, practice good dental health and protect yourself from these expenses by buying a plan that provides coverage for OPD dental treatment.
Domiciliary Hospitalization Cover
Domiciliary Hospitalization, also known as a home-based treatment, refers to a situation where a person suffering from an illness or disease receives treatment at home. While purchasing an insurance policy for an older adult, remember to select the one that offers coverage for domiciliary hospitalisation. With Manipalcigna Health Insurance, you can get your medical expenses covered from the first day of such hospitalisation.
Vaccination Cover
Babies and adults require vaccinations to immune themselves to certain diseases. You should buy a plan that covers expenses for vaccinations, including typhoid, anti-rabies, Hepatitis B, and other vaccines.
To Sum Up
Buying an excellent and all-inclusive medical insurance plan has become very important in today’s fast-paced life. However, before finalising it, you must understand what is offered and covered by these insurance policies. This will save disappointment when you require to make a claim. Also, reading about the processing times offered by the insurance provider will help you set right expectations in times of need.
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