Hospitalization
Amidst difficult times, an abrupt medical emergency can put a dent on your savings. This is why you must invest in a good health insurance plan so that you get financial assistance during the time of emergency. A health insurance plan covers hospitalization expenses; there could be a situation where you have to pay from your pocket. This may not be a favorable situation for those who do not have sufficient savings. This is when a cashless hospitalization comes to the rescue. In this facility, all the medical bills are settled by the insurance company. The cashless hospitalization can only be availed at the network hospitals. A cashless medical insurance policy is useful in dealing with medical exigencies by paying medical expenses. Hence, it is a wiser decision to always buy a health insurance plan with cashless hospitalization.
How Does Cashless Hospitalization Works?
Cashless hospitalization is a feature of a health insurance plan that can be availed by the insured when they are getting treatment at a network hospital. In this facility, Third Party Administrator (TPA) is responsible for settling the cash and cashless health insurance claims. This facility is beneficial in an emergency when an ailing patient is not being able to pay the bill.
The cashless hospitalization can be availed in the following ways:
Planned Hospitalization:
In this case, if you already know that you will be hospitalized in a few days and you have time to decide which hospital to choose from. In this method, you need to follow certain steps:
- Go through the health insurance plan and call the toll free number to know the nearby hospital.
- Get a pre-authorization form from the desk or download it from the TPA website. The form is duly signed by the patient and then by the doctor.
- Submit the form at the desk, and later it will be thoroughly reviewed.
- The form will then be submitted to the TPA from there it will either process it or approve it.
- Once the form is approved, an authorization letter is sent giving the sanctioned amount required for the treatment.
Emergency hospitalization
This case is when you need immediate medical attention. You need to follow the following steps:
- Present your health insurance card that has all the information such as your policy number and type of cover you have.
- Complete the authorization form at the insurance desk to promote the claim process.
- If you are not able to wait for the approval from TPA, you may clear the bill and file the reimbursement claim later.
Best Cashless Hospitalization Policies in India
There are various type of cashless hospitalization provided by various insurance companies:
Religare Health Insurance:
This is a cashless health policy offered by Religare Health Insurance. It has the following benefits:
Features:
- Includes more than 7420+ hospitals
- Provides coverage on pre and post hospitalization
- Lifetime renewability
Benefits:
- No claim bonus
- No upper age limit of enrollment
- Personal accident cover
Exclusions:
- Cosmetic surgery
- Drugs and alcohol abuse
- Self-inflicted injury
Waiting period:
- Pre-existing diseases are covered after a period of 4 years of continuous coverage. Medical expenses are incurred during the period of 30 days of inception of the plan, except those occurring because of accidents.
ICICI Lombard Insurance
Features:
- Individual health insurance plan for every member of the insured
- Add-on features such as Maternity Benefit and discounts on treatment for outpatients
- Get cashless approval within 4 hours
Benefits:
- Flexible sum insured and deductibles
- No co-payment
Exclusions:
- Mental illness
- Pregnancy and dental treatment
- Non-allopathic treatment
Max Bupa Health Insurance
Features:
- No sub-limits on accommodation
- Lifelong renewable
- Availability of cashless mediclaim policy at network hospitals
Benefits:
- Critical illness cover
- Direct claim settlement
Exclusions:
- Artificial life maintenance
- Addictive conditions
- Eyesight
- Obesity
Takeaway
With the help of cashless hospitalization, you can immediately get admitted to any of the network hospitals in case of an emergency. You need to inform the help desk in the hospital and to the insured about the hospitalization. By availing this facility, you need not need to borrow money from your family members. From hospitalization to daily cash allowance, this facility covers everything.
If you are looking for the best mediclaim policy online, then your search ends at Religare Health Insurance. It provides the facility of cashless hospitalization at any network hospital. The list of hospitals is provided by the insurance company to the insured at the time of buying the insurance plan. Insured can know about the network hospitals by visiting the website.
