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Introduction
Dehradun is the capital city of the northern state of Uttarakhand. This city is the most populous city in the state and is a popular tourist attraction as well. Dehradun has the benefit of being nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas and also has close proximity to other tourist attractions in the north like Mussoorie, Auli, Uttarkashi or the holy pilgrimages of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
Health insurance is one of the many types of insurance available to people in India. It is gaining popularity over the years but there is still a long way to go. Even today almost 80% of the population does not have a health insurance policy as this is still treated as an unnecessary expense and not a necessity. Health insurance acts as a buffer against the heavy medical expenses that are a reality of our country.
Additional Reading: 15-must-know-features-and-benefits-of-health-insurance-plans
Who needs health insurance in Dehradun?
Health insurance can be availed by any individual in the city of Dehradun. This is an essential investment for the citizens of the state as it can help them meet the huge expenses of hospitalization without burning a huge hole in their pocket.
Dehradun has a good network of public and private hospitals but they also face many issues in providing quality health care facilities. Some of such issues are the lack of adequate medical manpower, lack of good medical equipment, insufficient medical rooms for patients or the financial constraints that may be faced by the citizens.
These constraints make it difficult for the citizens to get timely medical attention to meet their medical needs. A health insurance cover in such cases can help them meet the cost of hospitalization along with pre and post-hospitalization expenses. It will relieve them of the burden of medical expenses while making sure that they get good medical care without the need to make upfront cash payments for hospital admission. Hence, it is important for all the citizens of Dehradun to get good health care plans for themselves and their family members.
Additional Reading: Arogya-sanjeevani-health-policy-heres-all-that-you-need-to-know
What are the benefits of getting a health insurance plan?
The health insurance plans in Dehradun can be available through many insurers. These plans help the insured persons to cover the expenses for treating many medical issues like heart diseases, organ transplants, accidental treatments, etc. There are many advantages of getting a good health insurance plan. Some of such benefits are mentioned hereunder.
Cashless treatment
Most insurers have tie-ups with the majority of the hospitals in the city. This helps the insured persons to get immediate as well as cashless treatment at these hospitals. This means that there is no need to make any upfront cash payment at the time of hospital admission thereby relieving the policyholders of any financial stress.
Facility for free medical check-up
Most insurers include the benefit of regular health check-ups under the health insurance plan. This benefit can also be availed as an add on benefit or a rider on the existing health insurance plan.
Tax benefits on premium payment for health insurance
One of the prime benefits of having a health insurance plan is the tax benefits that are available on the premium payment. Insured persons can get a tax deduction of Rs.25,000 for individuals below the age of 60 years and Rs. 50,000 for individuals above the age of 60 years under section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Coverage for ambulance fees
A health insurance plan will also cover the cost of transporting the patient to the hospitals for eligible medical aid.
Coverage for pre-existing diseases
Most health insurance plans offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, hypertension, thyroid, etc. However, the cover for such pre-existing conditions is available only after the completion of 2 to 4 years from the time of purchase of the policy. Additional cover can also be available in the form of riders on the existing policy.
Coverage for pre and post hospitalization expenses
Another important benefit or feature of the health insurance policy is the coverage for pre and post-hospitalization expenses. However, the underlying condition for such coverage is that these expenses have to be related to the illness or disease that is included in the health insurance policy.
Coverage for Ayush Treatment
As per the revised guidelines of IRDAI, insurers are also liable to cover additional treatments routes like Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani Medicine, Siddha and Homeopathy under a health insurance policy. This will increase the scope of coverage for the insured persons and provide them with additional benefits.
Benefit of No Claim Bonus
Most health insurance policies also come with a no claim bonus. Under this benefit, insured persons can get a bonus on account of no claim filed by them in the previous year (provided it is as per the guidelines of the insurer).
Additionally, IRDAI has also mandated the insurers to come out with COVID protection plans that can provide health insurance coverage against the treatment costs of COVID 19 for the individuals and their family members. The basic COVID 19 health insurance plans mandated by IRDAI are Covid Kavach Plan and Covid Rakshak Plan.
Additional Reading: Can-you-get-health-insurance-before-surgery
FAQs - Health Insurance in Dehradun
1. Can a person take health insurance plans for their family members?
A. Yes. A person can take health insurance plans for their family members. Most insurers include spouse, children and parents under family plans.
2. What is the tax benefit of having a health insurance plan?
A. The tax benefit for health insurance plans is tax deduction under section 80D. the deduction available is,
- For individuals below 60 years – Rs. 25,000
- For individuals above 60 years – Rs. 50,000
3. What is the waiting period in any health insurance policy?
A. The waiting period is the period between the time that the policy is taken till the time it comes into effect. This waiting period is different for different insurers depending on their guidelines.
4. What are riders in a health insurance policy?
A. Riders are the additional benefit that can be available on existing health insurance policies by paying an additional premium.
5. Can a person be eligible for tax deduction even if they have multiple health insurance policies?
A. Yes. A person is eligible for tax deduction even if they have multiple health insurance policies provided the total deduction is not over the prescribed limit of Rs. 25,000 or Rs. 50,000 as the case may be.