Things a Cashless Health Insurance Coverage Covers

In recent years, costs have become one of the major factors determining the quality of medical treatment and care a patient can receive. With soaring medical inflation rates, the costs of all medical treatments have skyrocketed. Hospitalisation costs and expenses associated with other services like diagnostic tests, consulting, etc. have increased too. Therefore, many people have started opting for mediclaim insurance plans to financially protect themselves and their families from such emergencies.

Until a few years ago, health insurance was reimbursement-based. So, if the insured person got hospitalised, he had to pay the hospital from his pocket. Then, after discharge, he could file a claim and submit the form with the required documents for claim processing. However, if the patient did not have enough funds, the treatment could have gotten delayed and even worsened. And this was a big hurdle for having health insurance. 

Later, many insurers started offering cashless health insurance plans where the insured person could get treated with a network hospital without having to pay from his pocket. The hospital takes approval from the insurance provider and offers treatment without asking you to bear the charges. 

What Does Cashless Health Insurance Cover?

While the coverage can vary depending on the insurance provider and type of plan, here are some common things that are covered by cashless health insurance:

  • In-patient hospitalisation costs
  • Pre and post-hospitalization costs
  • Ambulance expenses
  • Daycare procedure costs
  • Domiciliary expenses, etc.

Features of Cashless Insurance

Here are some salient features of cashless health insurance plans:

  • The insured person does not have to pay a single rupee at the hospital
  • The cashless service provided in health insurance is an additional service and does not impact the overall coverage of the policy.
  • Most insurance providers offer a No Claim Bonus (NCB) benefit
  • Some plans offer daily cash to the insured person to manage running costs
  • Many insurers offer a free annual health check-up with cashless insurance plans

Types of Cashless Health Insurance Plans

Here are the different types of cashless health insurance plans:

  • Individual cashless health insurance
  • Family cashless health insurance
  • Cashless insurance for senior citizens

Benefits of a Cashless Health Insurance Policy

Here are the benefits offered by a cashless medical insurance policy:

  • It saves a lot of effort and time. With cashless insurance, all you need to do is show your cashless insurance card and get the treatment started in no time.
  • This allows you to focus on the treatment without worrying about how you will manage the finances
  • Cashless health insurance plans usually include free health check-ups and diagnostic tests at regular intervals. This allows you to stay on top of any change in your health and diagnose serious diseases early.
  • Reputed insurance providers are networked across the big and reputed hospitals in the country. Therefore, you can avail of the best treatment without having to hunt for a good hospital.
  • The premium that you pay towards a health insurance policy is eligible for tax deductions under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. You can claim up to Rs.25,000 for people less than 60 years old. For senior citizens, the tax benefits are up to Rs.50,000.

Conclusion

Buying a health insurance policy, also known as a mediclaim insurance policy, has become easy in today’s times, with most insurers offering policies online. You can compare providers and plans and use the online health insurance premium calculator to find the perfect health insurance plan for your needs. Make sure that you research your options and go through the policy wording carefully before making a decision.