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Health Insurance for Senior Citizen is a Must to Fight the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Published on 15^th Aug 2020 EST Read time 4 Mins No, aging doesn’t have to be an uninspiring or dull experience, no matter how many grey hairs or wrinkles you notice! It rather means that you are free to enjoy life as you want, as responsibilities and obligations will now take a backseat. You can now breathe easy and follow your passions. However, it is crucial to take care of your overall health and keep common illnesses at bay. This is where health insurance plans can come in handy.

Why has the coronavirus made it mandatory to get insurance?

The novel coronavirus notoriously affects the senior population or those with underlying medical conditions, impacting their respiratory system and eventually their overall health, often resulting in fatality. So, in the grimmest scenario, if a senior citizen is showing the quintessential COVID-19 symptoms, it is important to rush them to a professional medical centre for observation and treatment. A health insurance for senior citizensis also essential to sail through this crisis as you surely doesn’t want any financial worries. So, here are some key elements of a health plan for senior citizen which should be considered, with or without coronavirus in the scenario. 

Why do you need a health insurance for senior citizen?

If you are a senior citizen or a concerned son or daughter, know that health insurance plans for senior citizen help provide the vital financial security without compromising on the quality of medical care. Some reasons why health insurance plans for senior citizens  are so important:

• The geriatric population is the most affected by COVID: Statistics all over the world show that fatality due to COVID is higher in the senior age group or those with an underlying medical condition. People between 55 and 80 are more prone to contract this disease and be greatly affected by it as their immunity is already low. 

• Age related diseases: Even though age is just a number, there are physical implications of growing old which can be easily mitigated by regular check-ups and proper medical care. However, all these requirements need financial investment. Having health insurance for senior citizens takes care of the financial aspect as you solely focus on getting better and living your life to the fullest. 

• Medical inflation: Today, healthcare is an expensive affair. However, we cannot forgo it for the price tag. So what can be done? By taking up a comprehensive health insurancepolicy, good health can be yours and you can beat medical inflation too. 

• Not just health insurance: Health insurance plans Senior citizen are crafted not just for immediate health coverage, but also for other wellness benefits like fitness regime, diet tips, nutrition information and a lot more. 

Benefits of a health insurance plan for senior citizen

What benefits are you entitled to with a senior citizen health insurance plan?

• Alternative treatment benefits: Often, geriatric medical assistance is provided through alternative treatments which are not harsh on fragile physical conditions. In that case too, you can be worry-free, as senior health insurance plans will cover treatments under AYUSH care.

• Pre and post hospitalisation: Avail coverage for pre-hospitalisation expenses upto 60 days as well as post-hospitalisation charges till 180 days.

• Sum insurance rebound: You can rely on this magical back-up that helps recharge your exhausted coverage plan, which you can effortlessly utilise for any subsequent treatment or hospitalisation. 

Choosing the right insurance plan for Senior Citizens

This is a very common question that many face, especially when it comes to protecting your savings and getting the right treatment. What is an ideal health insurance policy for you? How much premium should you pay? What should be the coverage and by how much? Let us decode these queries one by one.

• Assessand analyse for adequate insurance sum: It is important to understand the right amount of insurance coverage you need for yourself. For that, you need to analyse and assess your age, health, demographic factors and other lifestyle choices. For instance, living in a metro city might require you to have an insurance amount that is slightly higher than in non-metro cities. You should also take a long hard look at your health and determine the sum that will cover for all your conditions. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

• Does your insurance cover home-health care? : Home is where the heart is. Perhaps this is why many hope for healthcare at home. For some, it is physically difficult to make frequent hospital trips as well. Based on preferences, look for an insurance that will cover home health care for you. 

• Affordability: You cannot overlook the budget factor as you age, since your expenses usually outweigh your income. If you have prior debts or responsibilities, you might need to look at your financial situation before choosing a specific health care plan. With the help of a health insurance premium calculator , determine the amount you will be paying annually, and if that fits your budget, go for the right health insurance plan.

Conclusion

Being a senior citizen means becoming more responsible about your health and more positive about life. And with a robust health insurance policy for senior citizens, you can enjoy life like never before. So, buy HDFC ERGO health insurance after discussing your conditions and concerns with one of our experts. Also, go through the terms and conditions carefully so that you get the maximum benefit from the policy.

This  blog is written by Dr. Kavita Ganesh  Asst. Vice President, Health & Accident Product Underwriting

About The Expert :  Dr. Kavita Ganesh holds over 15 years of work experience in health insurance industry. She highly recommends buying health insurance for securing finances in case of a medical emergency. Looking at the current pandemic situation, she enforces the idea of having a higher sum insured for covering the entire family.

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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