The health insurance market is saturated with many policies. Some are tailor-made for seniors, some propose to take care of the health needs of an entire family, and some are even aimed specifically at women. They all have a standard set of offerings, which are designed to protect our mental and financial health when our physical health takes a hit. But did you know that insurers can go beyond just the scope of health insurance as a product and offer health assistance services that can have a positive impact on your health?
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Health Assistance Services: What are they, and how do they benefit the policyholder
Health insurers can go above and beyond just taking care of claims. Health assistance services are a set of services offered by health insurance companies that are intended to help policyholders with their healthcare needs. Here are some of the health assistance services offered by insurers:
Health insurers are privy to a huge network of doctors and specialists. Some put their connections to good use by offering policyholders consultation services with their network of doctors. They also offer second opinion services, where they connect patients with doctors for a second opinion on a previous diagnosis. Insurers can also help with finding suitable hospitals for the treatment.
Going to the hospital and waiting for a long time to consult a doctor can be tedious. With modern technology, the doctor is just a phone or video call away. Insurers can offer the perk of teleconsults with doctors to their policyholders. This is often free of charge, or for a minimal consultation fee.
When it comes to your health, prevention should always be given top priority. Health insurers consider this and offer a wide array of preventive health checkups as part of their health assistance services. This could come in the form of annual checkups, where you will be able to get blood work and other diagnostic tests done to see where you stand. Taking these tests religiously year on year can be a good indicator of your overall health.
Medical expenses often don’t stop once the patient has been discharged from the hospital. And these charges can often be substantial. So insurers do offer to foot the post-hospitalisation expenses as part of their policy. This may, in many cases, include follow-up consultations, diagnostic tests, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. But there is a catch, as there is a time limit (often anywhere between 60 and 90 days from discharge) involved, and this time limit varies from insurer to insurer.
Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, etc., need constant care and attention. Insurers offer support to individuals suffering from these conditions by monitoring them with the relevant tools and offering counselling to correct dietary and lifestyle habits.
Circumstances may arise wherein hospitalisation may not be possible due to the unavailability of beds at the hospital or due to medical conditions that prevent a stay at the hospital. In these cases, treatment will have to be managed at home, and insurers will provide coverage for these treatments depending on the policy’s terms and conditions. This can cover nursing and therapy costs as well.
Many senior citizens feel more comfortable with alternative treatment compared to modern treatment, as they believe the former to be relatively side-effect-free. As such, insurers do offer coverage for holistic treatments, also known as AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) treatments.
Now that you are aware of health assistance services, ask your insurer about the same to get familiar with what they are offering. Make sure to read your policy thoroughly today and make the best use of these services for a healthier tomorrow.
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Reviewed by Dr. Harshita Dahiya 
Acko Technology & Services Private Limited
#36/5, Hustlehub One East, Somasandrapalya, 27th Main Rd, Sector 2, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102
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