Posted on: Apr 6, 2022 | | Written by:

Does Home Treatment Cover Under Your Health Insurance Policy?

Home Treatment Coverage in Health Insurance

When an insured person avails medical treatment at home, it is called domiciliary hospitalization. This was common especially during the coronavirus pandemic, when a lot of patients could not be admitted to hospitals due to a shortage of beds, oxygen, medicines, etc. So, they had no choice but to avail home treatment. Here’s what you need to know about the domiciliary feature in a health insurance policy.

When is domiciliary hospitalization needed?

It is required when:

• The doctor advises treatment at home instead of hospitalization

• In case a patient is not able to secure a hospital bed or if it is unavailable

• Some patients have pre-existing conditions and co-morbidities and they may not be able to get hospitalized

Some health insurance plans include a feature of home treatment reimbursement; while some others provide it as an in-built feature and some offer it as an add-on cover. So, it depends on the health insurance plan you purchase and the insurance company.

Keep in mind that during home care treatment cashless facility is not available, and if your policy provides domiciliary hospitalisation cover then you can claim for reimbursement of the treatment expenses.

Claiming reimbursement for home treatment

You need to submit proof that home treatment was advised by the treating doctor and hospitalization was required. During peak Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of patients availed treatment at home and then filed for reimbursement. Keep all the medical reports including medical tests, prescriptions, CT scans and other diagnostic tests handy because it would be required during filing a claim. The insurer can ask for receipts and bills of the expenditure incurred at the time of claim reimbursement.

Home care treatment is not a default feature that will be provided in every health insurance policy. So, when you are buying a health insurance, make sure the insurance company provides domiciliary treatment cover equivalent to the sum insured.

Conclusion

Domiciliary hospitalization is nothing but hospital-like treatment at home. Sometimes when it is not possible to shift a patient from their home to the hospital, a medical practitioner or doctor may advise domiciliary hospitalization or home-based treatment. So, be very careful in choosing a health insurance and make sure the domiciliary hospitalization feature is included in the policy.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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