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8 Tips to Save Hospitalization Bills with Health Insurance Policy

Team AckoJan 23, 2024

In today's time, medical science has made tremendous success due to advances in technology and new findings through research. But when these are cascaded to the end-user, i.e. the patient, the cost of treatment increases. This is why a hospital stay, even for minor injuries, amounts to thousands of rupees. This article has tips on how you can save on hospitalization bills with a health insurance policy.

Contents

How to Save on Hospital Bills With the Help of Health Insurance?
How to Save Money After Buying Health Insurance?
Benefits of Availing Acko Health Insurance:
Wrapping up:
Frequently Asked Questions:

How to Save on Hospital Bills With the Help of Health Insurance?

The following tips will help you understand how a health insurance policy will have an effect on your hospital bill:

Select an insurer that covers pre and post hospitalization charges:
Treating a medical emergency is not only about hospitalization. In some cases, it may be necessary to undergo pre-hospitalization tests and post-hospitalization treatment as well. For example, investigating the number of blockages in nerves requires you to undergo a process called Angiography before being hospitalised for Angioplasty. This is a pre-hospitalisation medical process. Some medical ailments need continued treatment after surgery, this comes under post-hospitalization. You will save money on such treatments if your health insurance policy covers them.
Keep a tab on your health with insurer's free health check-ups:
Many health insurance companies offer health or wellness programs as part of an insurance plan. These are helpful to keep a track of your recent health condition and find patterns for a possible health issue. Such programs are free under certain policies, for example, Employer's Group Health insurance policy. These programs help you avoid a medical problem by detecting it at the onset. This can save money on hospital bills in the long run.
Select a policy that also covers alternative treatment:
Allopathy is a branch of medicine that people usually tend to go for. But availing treatments like Homoeopathy, Ayurveda, etc. can also be beneficial. When you decide on availing treatment in any such hospital, your health insurance policy should cover the expenses. Thus, look for a policy that offers AYUSH coverage i.e. covers alternative treatments.
Save additional money on room rent:
Room rent is one of the major factors of a hospital bill that increases the final amount. You can reduce this cost with your health insurance policy by opting for an add-on called Room Rent Waiver. This will help you remove or decrease the sub-limit on room rent, and you can save money on the hospital bill.
Make sure that your insurance policy covers transportation charges:
A medical emergency requires the patient to be transported from one place to another. This can be done by hiring an ambulance, but this increases your overall expenses. You need to make sure that ambulance charges are covered under the insurance policy.
Opt for daily cash benefit:
It is always a good idea to have some cash handy when you have a patient to tend to. This advantage is provided by a health insurance policy that has the benefit called Daily Hospital Cash. An insurance company will provide a fixed amount of cash for a pre-decided number of days while the patient is hospitalized.
Avail treatment in a network hospital:
Getting admitted to a hospital that is a part of the insurer's network will allow you to file a cashless claim. This is the biggest savings you can get on the hospital bill. Under cashless claims, the major part of your hospital bill will be borne by the insurance company, and you just need to pay the deductibles.
Keep renewing your health insurance policy:
An inactive policy will not give any benefits related to health insurance. You will have to bear all the expenses related to a medical emergency by yourself.

How to Save Money After Buying Health Insurance?

Health insurance policy will not only help you with the cost of hospitalization but also give additional benefits. Here is on how you can save more money after buying a health insurance policy:

Get a tax benefit: Buying health insurance policies will get you additional tax benefits under Section 80D of The Income Tax Act, 1961. Currently, a tax benefit of up to Rs. 25,000 is allowed for buying a health insurance policy. In addition, up to Rs. 25,000 can be claimed for dependent Senior Citizens (parents) if their age is above 60 years.
Opt for generic medicines: Generic medicines are medicinal drugs that are similar (in terms of quality, safety, and performance) to branded medicines. Being cost-effective is the biggest advantage of generic medicines.
Compare prices for diagnostic tests Nowadays, it is possible to book medical tests online. Some diagnostic centres offer packages that include a set of tests. For example, you can buy a package for full-body screening. It is a good idea to compare the cost of such packages online and choose the most suitable one.

Benefits of Availing Acko Health Insurance:

ACKO insurance is becoming a trusted brand that provides low-cost insurance policies with quick and hassle-free services. You will benefit in the following ways for buying a health insurance policy from ACKO:

Cost-Effective Premium
ACKO sells directly to you, it means there are no insurance agents or middle-men who can ask for a commission. This decreases the premium. Thus, ACKO offers the best prices for an insurance policy.
Online Claims
Raising a claim online is convenient as compared to filling extensive paperwork and submitting physical copies of documents. In an online claim, all you have to do is scan the documents and submit the claim through the website or a mobile app.
5000+ Network hospitals
ACKO has a wide network of hospitals where you can avail cashless claims. Cashless claims allow you to avail treatment with minimum expenditure from your pocket. The insurance company will settle your hospital bill, and you just have to pay the deductibles.

Wrapping up:

Buying medical insurance is securing your future medical emergencies with a financial backup. If you buy a suitable health insurance policy that provides adequate coverage then you don't have to worry about arranging money if you or a family member gets hospitalized.

Insurance experts also recommend creating a health insurance portfolio for comprehensive coverage. It can include an Individual policy, a Family-Floater Plan, a Critical Illness cover, and if applicable, a Senior Citizen Health insurance plan.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1) Why should I renew my health insurance policy in advance when I am given a Grace period to renew the plan?

The grace period is the time when you can renew the policy, and you don’t have to buy an entirely new one. Buying a new policy can be expensive due to various reasons. The policyholder will have to bear all the expenses related to the medical emergency without any help from the insurer if the policy expires.

The insurance company is not liable to honor your claim even if it is raised during the grace period. Thus, it is advised that you renew the plan before expiry as one cannot raise a claim if the policy expires.

2) What are the types of hospitalization, and how does it affect the process of insurance claims?

There are two types of hospitalizations, planned and emergency. A planned hospitalization involves an advised surgery whereas an emergency hospitalization can occur due to a sudden injury or a condition like a heart attack.

It is recommended that a policyholder informs the insurance company about planned hospitalization. Otherwise, there is no specific effect on the claim process as per the type of hospitalization.

3) What is the benefit of getting admitted to a network hospital?

The policyholder can avail a cashless claim in a network hospital. Overall the claim process is faster and can be completed in a hassle-free manner as compared to getting treatment in a non-network hospital.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on industry experience and several secondary sources on the internet; and is subject to changes. Please go through the applicable policy wordings for updated ACKO-centric content and before making any insurance-related decisions.

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