Choosing Health Insurance During COVID-19 Outbreak

The entire world is in the grip of a serious health issue and most of the nations are battling against the COVID-19 outbreak. The novel coronavirus has flipped global economies upside down and put our lives at a temporary halt. The number of cases is not decreasing which has led to lockdown in various countries across the globe.

With a surge in the total number of COVID-19 cases, a lot of people are worried about their health insurance policies. In recent times it is vital to get a health insurance plan that covers and provides financial protection in case somebody is diagnosed with COVID-19 infection.

The insurance market is quite diverse and it often becomes difficult for people to choose the right health insurance in normal times. Especially during the current pandemic, it has become difficult and complicated for people to choose the right health insurance plan that provides adequate coverage and protection against the novel coronavirus.

If you are looking forward to getting a health insurance plan during the COVID-19 outbreak, there are certain things that are to be kept in mind. In this thread, we will closely look at the various factors to be kept into consideration while choosing a health insurance plan during the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Aids Covered

While choosing the health insurance plan during the COVID-19 outbreak it is vital to analyze and assess the aids covered in the plan. The majority of people who are infected with the novel coronavirus do not show any significant symptoms that require serious medical assistance. The initial symptoms include high fever, dry cough, and tiredness.

Most of the patients would initially require a diagnostic test to confirm the novel coronavirus infection followed by basic medication on an OPD basis. Therefore, it is important to read and analyze the fine print of your health insurance Dubai policy to make sure that it covers OPD expenses.

Senior citizens and people falling in the age bracket of above sixty are more vulnerable and susceptible to being hospitalized as the novel coronavirus impact senior citizens more adversely. Hence your health insurance plan should either provide the service of cashless hospitalization or reimbursement of the total expenses incurred. Some health insurance plans do not cover pandemics. Reading the policy documents is extremely crucial as it will provide information about the exclusions of the policy.

An important point to be kept into consideration while purchasing a health insurance plan during the COVID-19 outbreak is that people with pulmonary and breathing problems are more likely to get hospitalized in comparison to people who are not. In case you or any of your family members suffer from any such medical condition, it is important to get the right health insurance plan to safeguard you and your loved ones against the wrath of the lethal virus.

Coverage

Most of the claims that are submitted for COVID-19 are either still under treatment therefore it is difficult to provide an approximate figure depicting the expenses incurred in the treatment of the novel coronavirus. Based on the statistics the average expenditure that would incur in treating a patient hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection is about AED 30,000. It is very important to be aware of the fact that the disease is highly infectious so if one family member contracts the COVID-19 infection it is very likely that other members of the family will get infected too. Therefore, the approximate health insurance coverage that one should have should be equivalent to or more than AED 100000.

Co-pay facility

A lot of insurance providers offer the facility of co-paying where a portion of the medical expense is paid by the policyholder and the remaining is paid by the insurer. The co-pay facility is an effective strategy to reduce the financial burden over the pocket of the insured. To understand the co-pay feature of health insurance plans, let us consider an exemplary situation.

In case your health insurance plan has a co-pay of 20% and the total expenses incurred in the treatment of the ailment cost AED 50000, then the policyholder is supposed to pay AED 10000 and the remaining amount will be paid by the insurance provider on behalf of the policyholder.

Cost of Hospitalization and Isolation

As mentioned earlier, the novel coronavirus infection is highly contagious therefore a considerable portion of capital is spent in treating the infected individual in isolation facility. Hospitals and medical institutions that have created isolation facilities usually charge extra money in comparison to intensive care units and general wards which is why it is vital to have adequate health insurance coverage.

The cost of hospitalization includes the expenses incurred in treating the patient in the isolation facility along with the medicines. Insurance seekers should assess the daily room rent limit based on their policy to ensure that it meets their needs and requirements. Furthermore, one should also enquire about the sub-limits of the health insurance plan to prevent themselves from bearing additional expenses during the hospitalization.

Within the hospitalization and treatment of COVID-19 patients, a significant amount of expense is spent on one time use protective equipment such as masks, gloves, and protective suits. The majority of health insurance plans do not cover these expenses; therefore, one should try and look for a health insurance plan that covers these expenses and safeguards one from additional financial burden.

In a Nutshell

The novel coronavirus is highly infectious and dangerous; therefore, it is vital to be prepared to combat the virus. With the right health insurance plan, you can ensure that you and loved ones are safe and protected against the fatal virus.