Health Insurance for Senior Citizens: Discover the Needs & Benefits
New Delhi, India: Injuries and health issues that have not been a major problem in your entire life would start becoming one with age. That is why senior citizens need more attention to their health as they age, along with constant medical attention. Hence, to deal with medical emergencies for them, you must opt for senior citizens health insurance. To know more about it in detail, keep reading this blog.
What is Senior Citizen Health Insurance?
Senior citizen health insurance is a kind of healthcare plan for individuals who are above 60 years of age. Such plans are specifically designed to provide them with effective financial assistance for their medical treatments. Therefore, health insurance plans for aged individuals are essential to maintain their good health in the long run.
Why Would Senior Citizens Require a Separate Health Insurance Plan?
Go through the following points to understand the need for a health insurance plan for senior citizens:
* Increasing Medical Costs
The growing rates of medical inflation can considerably deplete all your savings when opting for medical treatments for the aged individuals in your family. Hence, a separate healthcare plan for them can deal with unforeseen conditions without creating any financial burden.
* Coverage for Critical Illnesses
With weaker immunity, elderly individuals tend to be more prone to diseases and critical illnesses. Healthcare plans for them would allow you to avail prompt medical attention for them to treat such health issues, helping them recover from injuries or health problems quickly.
* Stress-free Retirement
The increasing rate of medical expenses usually creates a financial burden on individuals distressing them during their retirement. To get rid of the anxiety to deplete your savings, one must opt for health insurance, to help them remain stress-free and get a peaceful retirement.
* Annual Health check-up services
With age, paying attention to health becomes increasingly important. Hence, without compromising on the quality of life, you should opt for health insurance to have access to regular annual health checkups. Besides, this facility comes free with healthcare policies.
What Should be Covered in Health Insurance Plans for Senior Citizens?
Given below are the points, featuring the required coverage in health insurance plans for senior citizens:
* Expenses for Pre and Post-Hospitalisation
The healthcare plan you intend to go for must have pre-hospitalisation coverage for medication, diagnostic tests and consultation expenses. It should also provide coverage for post-hospitalisation expenses like medication or routine check-ups etc.
* In-Patient Treatment
Having coverage for in-patient treatment is a must in health insurance plans for senior citizens. It is a facility through which beneficiaries would receive financial assistance for hospitalisation. In some cases, this facility is appreciable for dental treatment as well.
* Coverage for Ambulance
Health insurance plans for senior citizens should also provide coverage for the expenses of ambulances. Through this facility, you would be provided financial assistance for transporting the insured member from one hospital to another through ambulance.
* Day Care Procedures
Since senior citizens are more prone towards diseases and injuries, they may need continuous attention and care. Hence, healthcare plans should have coverage of daycare treatment expenses, which are taken at a hospital or a daycare centre.
What are the Benefits of Purchasing Health Insurance for Senior Citizens?
The following points states the benefits of getting health insurance for senior citizens:
* Cashless Facilities
Health insurance providers tend to have their tie-ups with a wide network of hospitals, where their policyholders can avail medical treatments free of cost. It is essentially important for senior citizens with whom the possibility of medical emergencies is usually higher.
* Wide Coverage
Health insurance for senior citizens usually provides coverage for a wide range of medical expenses. This includes pre and post-hospitalisation, fees for doctor's consultation, medication costs, ambulance costs, diagnostic tests and annual health checkups expenses.
* No Claim Bonus
Many health insurance companies offer bonuses to their policyholders as a reward for not raising any claim for a year. Through this facility, you can get a chance to increase the existing coverage or you can also reduce your future premiums.
* Tax Benefits
All the policyholders of health insurance plans are eligible to get tax benefits under section 80D of the Income Tax Act. Through the benefit, you can get a deduction of a certain percentage from your total taxable income.
* Easy Renewal
You can get the flexibility to renew the existing healthcare policy for a lifetime. It can be by adding extra coverage or opting for rider facilities. Such flexibility to renew policies is ideal when selecting an appropriate healthcare plan.
The Bottom Line
Overall, health insurance policies for senior citizens are not only significant to maintaining their health but are indeed a necessity considering the current medical inflation rates. So make sure to research the reliability of health insurance providers thoroughly and for the right plan for the elderly members of your family.
