Health Insurance in Bhopal

Introduction

Bhopal is the capital city of the state of Madhya Pradesh. This city is known for a lot more than being the capital city of the state. Bhopal is also known as the ‘City of Lakes’ with multiple natural and artificial lakes across the city. Apart from being culturally rich, the city also has the reputation of being the cleanest city for three years in a row from 2017 to 2019. This city was among the many cities that were selected to be developed into a smart city under the Prime Minister’s vision of Smart City Mission.

This city has been developed over the years to become a modern city with better roads and infrastructure and state of the art healthcare. The health care sector of the city has a huge network of Government and private hospitals that strive to provide good health care services to the citizens of the state.

Why is health insurance needed in Bhopal?

The health care facilities in India are quite expensive. Furthermore, they are a limited resource and hence has to be carefully utilized to ensure that no person is turned away due to lack of facilities. This situation has been highlighted by the recent pandemic. Covid 19 has shown us the ugly side of our health care infrastructure and how woefully unprepared we are to handle the onslaught of this pandemic.

There were many cases when the patients and their family member could not be treated because there was no space in the hospitals or there were no financial resources to pay for the treatment. This is where health insurance can come in help. Having a good health insurance plan will ensure that the patients will at least not have to worry about the financial aspect of the treatment.

Tips to find the best health insurance plans in Bhopal

Buying a good health insurance plan requires a good amount of research and analysis. People have to ensure that their health insurance plan meets their requirements in the best possible manner. Some of the key points to be considered while buying a health insurance plan are detailed below.

Check the amount of coverage and the premium to be paid

One of the main points of considerations is the amount of coverage that is provided by the insurers and accordingly the premium that is to be paid by the insurer. Applicants have to ensure that the amount of coverage is enough to cover their health care needs as well as that of their family members.

Check the number of persons included in the cover

Most health insurance policies provide the benefit of health insurance cover for the individual and his/her family members. An important point of consideration here is to understand the definition of family members according to the insurer and the maximum number of persons that are included in a single plan. Applicants need to have a clear idea about this information to avoid any confusion at the time of settling of their claim.

Check the eligibility criteria set by the insurer

Every insurer has its own set of eligibility criteria that have to be met by the applicant to be eligible for the cover. These eligibility criteria will include the minimum and the maximum age bracket as well as other factors like medical conditions, employment, etc.

Check if there is a waiting period or a cooling period

Waiting period or a cooling period is the minimum time duration that is mentioned by the insurer within which the applicant is not eligible for any claim. This waiting period is different based on the terms and conditions of the insurer and may vary based on any pre-existing diseases or ailments declared by the applicant, age of the infant insured as part of the policy, etc. Another important point of consideration in this case is that when a person is part of any group health insurance plan and want to convert it to an individual health insurance plan at the time of leaving the organization, such persons are not subject to any waiting period as they would have already completed such period being part of the group plan.

Check the various exclusions under the plan 

Applicants have to also consider the various exclusions that are part of the insurer’s guidelines. These exclusions can be any particular situations or diseases, treatment process or medical procedures where the insurer will not be liable to settle the claim raised by the applicant. Getting this information at the time of taking the health care plan is essential to avoid any hassles at the time of claim.

Check the network of hospitals that are covered under the plan

Apart from the other important factors, the network of hospitals included under the plan is also an important consideration. Many insurers have tie-ups with a chain of hospitals in the city of Bhopal as per their guidelines. Applicants should be aware of this information and ensure that they get their treatments accordingly and ease their claim process.

Check if the plan offers cashless treatment

Cashless treatment is when the insured person does not have to pay anything to the hospital to get the treatment. This speeds up the process as well as provides the mental peace to the insured person as the cost of treatment is covered under the health plan.

Check the list of inclusions

Insurers have to be aware of the various ailments and approved diseases that can be included by the insurer as part of the health care plan.

How to purchase health insurance in Bhopal?

Residents of Bhopal can purchase health insurance plans either through online or offline modes. The first step in this process is to get the information about the various insurers and the plans provided by them. While selecting the plan, the factors mentioned above should be considered by the applicants. After selecting the required plan, the next step is to acquire the plan through either the online portal of the insurer or by visiting their nearest office. The applicant will have to submit the necessary documents and make the payment for the plan purchased. The plan will be in effect after the pre-mentioned cooling period and the insured person can claim settlement against the plan in the event of any hospitalization of himself/ herself or any family members covered under the plan.

Conclusion

Health insurance plans have long become an essential investment for individuals. Residents of Bhopal can get the best health insurance plans from reputed insurers at decent premium payments. This will ensure that they are not burdened by the cost of treatment at the time of hospitalization.

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