JULY 5, 2019 BY HEALTHINSURANCEADVISOR
Benefits of Health Insurance Plans
Below are some factors that make the purchase of an effective health insurance policy essential for everyone:
- Life is uncertain and health issues may occur anytime, thereby creating a financial burden for the insured’s family to arrange for finances at short notice or no notice at all
- Keeps you financially prepared well in advance, despite rising expenses of medical treatments and hospitalization
- Offers financial protection against most expenditures associated with health and medical treatments
- Cashless facility offered by insurance companies at their network hospitals enables the insured to overcome the hassles of making payments at the time of hospitalization
- The insured can focus on speedy recovery, while the insurance company takes care of the incurred expenses
Secure Health and Finances: Majority of the health-related expenditures in the country are borne out-of-pocket. A lot of people rely heavily on their savings, and sometimes even borrow money, to fund medical treatment. Health insurance products are designed to ensure that one’s savings does not dwindle since the insurance company will bear this cost. With health insurance, one can benefit from quick cashless treatment, medical reimbursement, emergency ambulance cover and daily cash during hospital stay.
Cashless Treatment: Most health insurance companies offer cashless claim facility. Under such an arrangement, the insured individual does not have to make any out-of-pocket payments in case of hospitalization. The medical bills will be settled by the insurance company directly with the hospital. In order to avail of this benefit, it is necessary that the individual get admitted at one of the insurer’s network hospitals.
Tax Benefits: The premium paid towards a health insurance policy qualifies for tax deduction under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961. A taxpayer (less than 60 years of age), who has availed a health insurance policy for himself or herself and parents (senior citizens) can claim a tax deduction up to Rs. 75,000. Policyholders (above 60 years) who are paying health insurance premium for self and parents can claim up to Rs. 1,00,000 under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
OPD Expense Coverage: Cover for outpatient department (OPD) is a recent feature offered as part of health insurance policies by some insurance companies. Health insurance plans with OPD coverage will take care of doctor’s consultation fees, pharmacy bills, health check-ups, dental treatment, diagnostic tests, etc. The extra premium paid for availing the OPD cover is eligible for tax deduction under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act under the prescribed limit.
Alternate Treatment Coverage: A health insurance policy will cover expenses related to medical treatments in hospitals. However, sometimes there are situations where alternate treatment, such as Ayurveda, homeopathy, etc. may seem more relevant for treating certain ailments or diseases. Some of the best health insurance policies in the market provide coverage for such treatments. This gives the insured more flexibility with regards to the kind of medical treatment the individual would like to undergo.
Cost of Medical Treatment
In recent years, advancements in medical technology has made it possible to cure ailments and diseases that were once considered incurable. However, the costs associated with them is quite high, making it difficult for middle class families to afford them.
According to various studies, medical inflation is expected to rise in the coming years which in turn would mean health care costs will also see an increase. In order to provide a solution to this, insurance companies have designed different kinds of health insurance plans, available at affordable premium rates. This makes availing healthcare facilities accessible and affordable for all.