As India’s active Covid-19 cases have crossed the 7,000-mark, individuals must ensure that their health insurance policy includes outpatient department (OPD) and consumables cover. They should also assess whether the policy includes home care or domiciliary hospitalisation.
An OPD cover will ensure that the insured and his family are protected even when hospitalisation isn’t required, by covering doctor consultations, diagnostic tests, and medications, which can be quite expensive. Even non-medical expenses —like PPE kits, gloves, or even room charges—can add up significantly in case of hospitalisation for Covid-19 treatment.
It is essential to examine that the policy has sufficient sum insured to cover high treatment costs for Covid-19, including ICU charges, oxygen support, and post-hospitalisation expenses. Most of the recent policies also include coverage for home quarantine and telemedicine consultations, which are valuable in managing mild cases of Covid-19 at home.
Domiciliary hospitalisation
Domiciliary treatment for Covid is covered under most existing health insurance policies. Domiciliary treatment, meaning treatment at home, is provided when hospitalisation is not possible due to a shortage of beds or the patient is immobile. The insured must get a doctor’s prescription recommending home treatment and inform the insurer immediately or through the third party administrator (TPA).
For claims, the insured must submit the claim along with all supporting documents, including the doctor’s certification, to the insurer within the specified timeframe. “It is advised to keep medical records, diagnostic reports, and medicine bills, safely at the time of submitting the claim if it’s reimbursement-based, or coordinate for cashless care if their insurer offers it,” says Siddharth Singhal, business head, Health Insurance, Policybazaar.com.If your current policy doesn’t include this coverage, it’s advisable to contact your insurer to explore the possibility of adding it or switching to a product that provides for it.
