As individuals age, their healthcare requirements change. This further makes it essential for them to have adequate health coverage. Older people often require specialised medical care and check-ups, which can turn out to be expensive. Therefore, best health insurance for senior citizens is a must. They are specially designed to cover for them to meet unexpected medical expenses.
However, these plans also have their limitations. Thus, before buying a plan, one must know about the inclusion and exclusion of senior citizens health insurance so that they know about the medical costs they will have to bear. But what are these inclusion and exclusion, one may wonder? Thus, this article will discuss the same in detail. So, let’s get started.
What is Senior Citizen Healthcare Insurance?
Health insurance for senior citizens is a specialised insurance plan designed for individuals typically aged 60 or 65 and above. It provides comprehensive coverage for medical expenses, hospitalisation, and specific diseases associated with older age. This insurance serves as a crucial financial safety net to address the unique healthcare needs of senior citizens.
These plans offer policyholders financial protection against age-related health issues. This ensures they can access quality medical care without the burden of high out-of-pocket expenses.
What are the Inclusions Under Senior Citizen Healthcare Insurance?
Some common inclusions in health insurance for senior citizens policies are as follows:
1. Pre-Hospitalisation Expenses
Pre-hospitalisation costs are the costs that are incurred before the policyholder’s admission to the hospital. These expenses are covered by senior citizens’ healthcare insurance policies. This includes medical consultation fees, diagnostic test costs, medication expenditures, etc.
2. Post-Hospitalisation Expenses
Post-hospitalisation fees are also covered under most senior citizen medical insurance. These are the medical expenses incurred after being discharged from the hospital. These expenses include the costs of follow-up appointments, drugs, medical tests, etc., required during the recovery period.
3. Daycare Procedures
Daycare therapies are medical operations that do not require a 24-hour hospital stay due to advances in medical technology. These procedures can be radiotherapy, chemotherapy, etc. The majority of senior citizen healthcare policies include coverage for such procedures, including their necessary treatments.
4. Preventive Health Examinations
Several health insurance senior citizen coverage plans cover preventive health screenings. These examinations often include blood sugar, renal function, ECG, and other basic health markers. Preventive health check-ups allow the elderly to take preventive measures and avoid developing significant medical conditions..
5. Domiciliary treatment
Domiciliary treatment refers to medical care received at home when a senior citizen cannot be treated at a hospital due to their condition. Such treatments are often covered under health policies for the elderly. This includes doctor’s visits, nursing care, and the cost of medicines administered at home, providing convenience and comfort to elderly policyholders.
What are the Exclusions Under Senior Citizen Healthcare Insurance?
Exclusions are healthcare costs or services that insurance companies won’t pay for. Here are the common exclusions for health insurance for senior citizens:
1. Cosmetic or Elective Surgery
Cosmetic or elective surgery are regarded as non-medical procedures that have no bearing on healing wounds or curing illnesses. These procedures include lip augmentations, rhinoplasty, Botox, facelifts, and implants. Thus, medical insurance for the elderly does not cover cosmetic or hygiene therapies.
2. Dental Expenses
Senior citizen medical insurance excludes dental care charges, which usually fall under a specific category. Dental treatments are frequently non-hospitalised outpatient procedures. Thus, most healthcare insurance providers do not cover them.
3. Self-Inflicted Injury
Healthcare plans for older adults prohibit coverage for self-inflicted injuries, as these injuries are frequently intentional and preventable. Therefore, such conditions are excluded to discourage fraudulent claims and encourage responsible conduct.
4. Sexually Transmitted Disease
Sexually transmitted diseases are generally not covered under senior citizen health policies because they usually happen due to the policyholder’s negligence. Therefore, diseases like HIV and chlamydia are excluded from healthcare plans for the elderly.
5. Alternative Therapies
Senior citizen health policies often do not cover alternative therapies like acupuncture, naturopathy, or homoeopathy. These therapies are often considered non-conventional or complementary and may not have sufficient scientific evidence to support their effectiveness.
Conclusion
A specialised health care plan is necessary during old age, as it gives you the flexibility to live independently. However, before enrolling in any healthcare insurance, you must also make sure you understand its inclusions and exclusions. This ensures that you don’t get blindsided by it in the future.
In case you are someone looking for the best senior citizen health insurance plan. Then, visit Niva Bupa best health insurance policy today. They have partnered with numerous hospitals, offering a quick and hassle-free insurance claim. So, financially secure your future with Niva Bupa today!
