The Covid-19 pandemic has spread far and wide, bringing with it a steep rise in hospital bed usage. With more and more news about shortages in hospital beds being brought to light, a multitude of people were forced to receive their treatment and undergo the recovery process in their homes.
With this scenario repeating in every state and with larger and larger pockets of the population, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) advised insurance providers to include home treatment or domiciliary treatment provision as an add on facility while buying a medical insurance policy.
In fact, there are a number of plans where the health insurance cover extends to include home treatment or domiciliary treatment, and have contained this facility for the last 6-7 years. But you need to check the terms and conditions of these existing plans. This is because the health insurance cover for many of these policies do not cover respiratory tract diseases, which Covid-19 comes under.
Q. When Is Home Treatment Required?
There are certain conditions that need to be met before you can avail of home treatment or domiciliary treatment. These conditions are especially important when you take into account filing a claim on your medical insurance policy. These conditions are as follows:
Your doctor or preferred medical practitioner advises home treatment instead of hospitalization for your recovery
If the patient is unable to get a hospital bed despite every effort, or if there are no hospital beds available
If the patient has a pre-existing condition or comorbidities that prevent them from being eligible to get a hospital bed
The homecare treatment option covers a large number of expenses including cost of medical equipment, medicines, doctor’s consultations and in case of coronavirus insurance plans like Corona Kavach policy, the health insurance cover extends to oxygen cylinders. Generally, most homecare treatment options cover domiciliary procedures for approximately 14 days.
Q. How Can You Claim Home Treatment In Your Medical Insurance Policy?
Your Health insurance cover may extend to include home treatment, but there are a few steps that need to be cleared before you can avail these benefits. Firstly, you will have to submit to your medical insurance policy provider that Home Treatment has been advised to you by the doctor. This must also prove that hospitalization was required in your case, but home treatment would be a better option for your health needs.
Maintaining the right paperwork or documentation is crucial when making any claim from your medical insurance policy. This stands doubly true in case of domiciliary treatments. That is why you will have to submit all your reports which include medical tests, prescriptions, CT scans and any other diagnostic tests carried out. You must also keep all the bills and receipts of all these expenses so claiming for reimbursements becomes easier. Ensure you ask for and keep all bills of buying medical equipment too, as some health insurance cover also includes provisions for this.
Read More: Cashless and Reimbursement Claims in Health Insurance
Also keep in mind that storing your prescriptions properly is extremely important. Whether it is an online consultation, voice call or a personal visit, you need to make sure you get a valid prescription from your preferred medical practitioner. Also keep in mind that all these prescriptions should mention that you have been advised Home Treatment.
Check your existing medical insurance policy at the earliest, to see whether domiciliary treatment is covered in your plan. In case it isn’t, you need to get in touch with your insurance provider to get the home treatment add on option, or buy a health insurance cover that includes home treatment. If you need any help in exploring options, head to Coverfox - one of India’s leading insurance broking portals.
