“To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honours”-- Tia Walker
It is a legacy of love and compassion that leaves a lasting impression on generations. However, it is easier said than done. With a busy schedule at times it becomes difficult to spare some quality time for the family especially for your ageing parents. As the elderly people seek attention and care to the most, it is our responsibility to provide the necessary support. And finding a right health insurance policy for senior citizens will help in ensuring financial, physical and mental assistance when they need it the most. This article will help you go with the process of getting the best healthcare for senior citizens with a health insurance plan. Let’s know how!
How can Health Plans Support Senior Citizens?
Ageing brings with it irreversible physical and mental changes, coping with which needs constant support. Hence it is important to note the medical history, budget and desired level of coverage before you decide to finalise on an insurer that can provide the best health care for senior citizens
It will make you guilt-free and then, anxiety-free. Having said that the following are a few ways a health insurance plan becomes a boon to senior citizens in the times of need!
Comprehensive Coverage
A well-crafted comprehensive plan will have a wide range of sum insured options to choose from with flexible premium payment options. The all-inclusive coverage will assist during inpatient hospitalisation, coverage for a long list of diseases including critical illnesses, reduced wait time for existing diseases, and even reinstate the sum insured ensuring continued coverage. These policies even offer coverage for health check-ups, OPD and alternative treatments like AYUSH and encourage a healthy lifestyle by proactively tracking health conditions. Some insurance companies provide the facility of schedule the appointments with healthcare professionals via mobile apps as well such as Care Health Insurance’s Claim Genie App. With this facility one can choose the diagnostic centres or network hospitals from the comfort of their homes.
Exclusively Designed Plan for Senior Citizens
If your parents are aged below 65 years, you can go for regular health plans as they have more flexibility and fewer restrictions on sub-limits, along with benefits such as multiple hospitalisations, automatic sum insured recharge, no waiting period for the same disease same person multiple claims, access to online fitness and wellness programs and much more. One such plan is Care Supreme which you can consider for your parents as well as the plan comes with no restricted maximum entry age. That means all the policy benefits are available for people above the age 65 as well The premium may be higher due to age, but it is worth all their benefits and assistance. The list of medical tests is exhaustive and covers more or less every common health condition that one can experience, like CBC (complete blood count ), cholesterol-LDL, fasting blood sugar, Creatinine Ratio, Uric Acid, Treadmill test etc. What's more? The no co pay clause is another plus point otherwise it is a common feature in a senior citizen health plan.
Critical Illness Cover
Add-ons to cover critical illnesses are a smart way to customise your normal health plan for your senior parents. It is an efficient way to protect them from any serious disease that may turn up later in life. You need to understand and check your family’s medical history before adding this cover to the kitty. As add-on covers aid up to an additional premium, so buy these covers only your parents need them. However, with Critical Illness Mediclaim, you can get coverage for 32 critical illnesses with sum insured ranging from 10 lakh to 1 cr.
Why is Adding them in a Separate Plan Necessary?
It is best not to add seniors to your family floater plan as the sum insured will not meet the requirements for all ages. Besides it will increase your premium amount as you will need to go for a higher sum insured. It is advisable to go for a standalone senior health plan which will have lifetime renewability and better coverage for probable critical conditions in future. Care Senior Citizen plan comes with some of the amazing features and benefits for seniors over 65 years including no pre-policy medical check-ups, coverage for pre-existing diseases, zone-based premiums, annual health check-ups, AYUSH cover etc.
Day Care Facilities
Due to advancements in healthcare industry certain procedures like cataract, dialysis do not need 24 hours hospitalisation. Thus, health insurance industry has also evolved with new-age features where day care facilities are available by covering such procedures. Most of Care Health Insurance plans cover 540+ day care procedures. Senior Citizen Daycare facilities under a senior citizen health plan help with quick and advanced treatments without being hospitalised.
However, do check for sub-limits in case of certain selected procedures. Some treatments that can be covered under senior citizen day care are Cataract, tear duct operation, ligament tear surgery, fracture, dislocation, dialysis, angiography, chemotherapy radiotherapy etc.
Claim Settlement Facility
A hassle-free claim settlement is the most desired thing you expect from your health insurer. In the time of a medical emergency, a quick claim settlement process aids to quality healthcare without any delay. Thanks to claim apps, registering a claim is no more a headache these days. For example the Claim Genie app of Care Health Insurance is the quickest way to settle a claim, especially for seniors where you do not have to run around for days after your insurer. You can intimate your claim, track your claim status, get your e-claim form and upload your claim documents hassle-free. It's also important to check the claim settlement ratio of your insurer to know the probable chances of getting your claims settled quickly.
Pre-existing Disease Wait Time
It is good to presume that with age, seniors will have some or the other pre-existing diseases while purchasing a health plan. It is hence wise to choose a plan which has the minimum waiting period for pre-existing illness. However, with pre-existing waiting period waiver option, you can fully waive the wait period. Also, it can be reduced up to certain years as well with waiting period reduction add-on. For example Care Senior Health plan pre-existing waiting period can be reduced up to 2 years with PED wait period reduction optional cover. Minimum waiting period means maximum coverage.
Co-Payment Clause
Most senior health plans will have this clause where 10-20% of the hospital expenses need to be borne by the insured and the rest is paid by the insurer. You should check for a plan where the co-payment percentage is low as it reduces the out-of-pocket expenses during emergencies which can be an unnecessary burden. Care Senior Citizens plan has the option to waive co-payment clauses during renewal or policy purchase even when the age of the insured is 65 years and above.
Emergency Transportation Coverage
Since age restricts mobility, especially when your parents are going through a serious life-threatening condition, coverage for ambulance and airlift should ideally be a part of any health care for senior citizens. Care Senior Citizens has the facility for air ambulance coverage provided it is certified by the medical practitioner and it is a life-threatening emergency.
Domiciliary Treatment
It may happen that, your parents need to be treated at home due to the non-availability of hospital beds or they are too fragile to move to the hospital even by ambulance. In such cases treatment at home with all amenities becomes indispensable. Both Care Supreme and Care Senior Citizen plans offer coverage for domiciliary treatments but the amount for the latter is only 10% of the sum insured. This again re-emphasises the importance of having a normal plan like Care Supreme to get adequate support for your elderly members.
Concluding Lines
Your parents have always provided the best for you. Now it is your turn to show that you care and that you are willing to be their support under any difficult circumstances. Choose wisely to protect your family elders by making them strong financially and mentally. Make them feel deserved and wanted by giving them relief in the form of a comprehensive and hassle-free health plan and then count your blessings.
>> Also Read: 10 Features of Best Mediclaim Insurance for Senior Citizen
Disclaimers: The above information is for reference purposes only. For more details about the health insurance plans and their benefits please refer to the sales prospectus, policy terms, and conditions.
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