After the advent of Covid-19 in the world in 2019 there has been a huge shift in insurance demand, especially Health Insurance. While it is true that COVID has claimed thousands of lives worldwide and now the world has accepted to live in a Covid-stricken world, it is necessary to ensure that you remain sufficiently protected against unnecessary complications posed by Covid in the world.
That is why ensuring that you have sufficient coverage from your health insurance policy for COVID-19 becomes very crucial. Thus it is essential to ensure that your health insurance covers covid 19 sufficiently.
Understanding Health Insurance Coverage
There are various types of health insurance policies which are available in the market and they also differ among themselves in terms of various aspects like coverage, add-ons, premium rates, etc. Thus it is very essential in such cases for individuals to familiarize themselves with different kinds of policies and make themselves aware of different intricacies within them.
Since India is such a vast country and has an immense population it speaks volumes about COVID complications and potential effects contracted due to COVID. Some estimates say that during the period of peak COVID waves, some 44 Million had tested positive for COVID-19 and with such huge numbers peaking for COVID it is fair to ask if one should include coverage for COVID-19 in his/her Health Insurance coverage.
Thus in response to the threat posed by Coronavirus, many insurance companies have come up with specific policies that cater to complications related to COVID-19. This may come in terms of a specific plan or there are existing plans which have the facility to add COVID as a disease in its policy.
However, the various internal workings of these insurance policies are still complex and thus there are various things that can vary significantly in different policies.
COVID-19 Test and Treatment Coverage
There are various things that are offered by COVID-19 policies some of the facilities related specifically to Tests and Treatment coverage are:
Testing and Diagnosis
Testing and Diagnosis is perhaps the most important facility one should look for when looking for benefits related to COVID-19 in a Health Insurance Policy. Most of the health insurance plans offered in the market have inbuilt coverage related to various tests that include RT-PCR tests and Antigen tests.
Many insurers also have inbuilt waivers which sometimes waive cash payments and deductibles that are charged in traditional health insurance policies, this is specifically provided to speed up the whole process so that the patient should not face unnecessary risks through COVID. Furthermore, it is also essential to understand these aspects in detail which we are going to do in this section:
Waivers Offered: Many insurers after the advent of COVID-19 have specifically included various types of waivers in their insurance policies which offer ways to eliminate financial constraints in times of emergency. This is also done for individuals to come forward and get themselves tested which will eventually help the government and healthcare agencies to ensure proper disposal of medical resources.
Another thing these waivers do is to reduce expenses incurred from the pockets of individuals. This is because in times of COVID-19 when most of the businesses were shut down temporarily it is plausible that many individuals may not have that kind of money with themselves.
Lastly, many state governments have also directed insurance companies to include these types of waivers within their policies so that every individual can get tested promptly which in turn can help governments to properly manage and control the spread of COVID-19.
Testing Locations: Health Insurance which offers the services of coverage for COVID-19 also has to ensure that apart from the services of testing, the locations where these testing's are provided should be easily accessible. Thus, individuals should look for health insurance policies which include local hospitals, clinics, and urgent care centers which should allow individuals to self-diagnose tests and easily submit samples for further medical analysis.
The availability of accessible testing centers plays a crucial role in any individual’s COVID diagnosis as health insurance covers covid 19 even those individuals who are traveling or working from home from different destinations.
Testing Documentation: Sometimes in conventional health insurance policies there may be inbuilt requirements regarding the showing of various documents when going for different tests and diagnoses, this may inherently become problem-induced and chaotic. Thus, to streamline these types of problems health insurance covers covid 19 typically come with assurances that do not require the presentation of various documents beforehand.
However, sometimes many policies do require the presentation of documents but they are generally very minimal which can include only showing identification cards like Aadhar or Driving License. Notwithstanding all things, policyholders need to familiarize themselves beforehand regarding various documents required at the testing stage so people do not face any unnecessary red tape.
Understanding Health Insurance Benefits for COVID-19
Health Insurance benefits which health insurance covers covid 19 in their policies generally include a wide range of benefits designed to cater to policyholders to address various issues ranging from financial, logistical, and other challenges associated with the disease. These benefits are also designed in a way so that not only individuals but their families can also reap the potential benefits and also manage various expenses related to COVID-19 expeditiously.
Treatment Expenses: While health insurance covers covid 19 related to the treatment of various diseases in their documents. In the case of COVID-19, these benefits can extend further to include families and dependents and may also include benefits to facilitate social distancing and quarantine measures.
Further, there may be complications in which individuals may need to admit themselves to hospitals with added facilities like expensive medicines, ICU coverage, and various other facilities like oxygen and ventilators. These things generally cost more and thus should be included in the policies so that any individual may not face any major dent in their pockets.
In-Home Consultations: As it is shown by the COVID-19 pandemic once a person gets contracted with COVID-19 it may be difficult or even prohibited for the person to leave his/her designated quarantine space. Thus, in such cases, health insurance policies must provide consultations through phone or video calls so that the person should not face any delay in receiving treatment.
These benefits may be included in the policy and if they are not then individuals should specifically look for policies that include virtual consultations by doctors, and regular visits by specialists and also should provide individuals with prompt exposure to medical advice virtually.
Health and Wellness Programs: While the diagnosis, prevention, and management of COVID-19 are equally important in a health insurance policy, there are various instances where individuals suffer from long-term COVID-related complications also commonly known as ‘Long COVID’. The major symptoms may include long-term nausea, insomnia, and breathing difficulties, and may also have covid 19 mental health and stress-related complications.
Thus, in these cases, it is also important for individuals to look for plans that health insurance covers covid 19 for such complications and should include various tools through which individuals with post-COVID-related complications may better manage their issues.
Impact of COVID-19 on Health Insurance Coverage
As discussed above individuals who are going to opt for policies that include COVID-related coverage have to ensure that they get various types of coverage to ensure a proper management of COVID complications. This Coverage in general and as discussed above can include but is not limited to Testing and Treatment, Virtual Consultations, Financial assistance, and health insurance covers covid 19 of post-COVID COVID-19 complications.
Other than that it is essential also to enroll in COVID policies which also provide mental health coverage as managing stress and ensuring a positive outlook on COVID-19 is also essential for a better and effective Covid 19 health insurance policy.
Conclusion
As we live in an evolving world, there may come times when there may be new types of diseases and conditions. Thus, in this case, it is essential to constantly assess your policy and ensure that it is up to date with the latest trends and medical recommendations.
This way you can ensure that you are covered appropriately and your loved ones are also ensured by health insurance covers covid 19 in such volatile times. And you can get the best COVID-19 insurance policy India has available.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
