The Top 6 Disease-Specific Health Insurance Plans
Updated On Jul 05, 2021
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Within the critical realm of health insurance plans, disease-specific policies are the most sought. The primary reason being that prolonged/protracted illness requires long-term and consistent treatment, leading to a significant expense on its treatment. The disease-specific plan is the supplemental insurance that comes into force only when the insured member is diagnosed with certain illnesses covered under the policy.
Owning these plans can avert a potential financial crisis that the insured could face owing to the treatment of the specific ailment. However, these plans are not part of the individual, family or comprehensive health plans. Thus, before opting to take such disease-specific policies, it would make sense to know for sure whether any of the insured suffer from the particular ailment. To help make an informed choice of the best disease-specific health insurance, we have enlisted some of them below:
Care Heart Mediclaim Plan
The policy offers affordable health insurance coverage from Rs. 10 Lakh to Rs. 2 Crore of the sum insured, about different heart-related illnesses. Under this policy, 16 major heart ailments are covered, and the coverage is extended for even relapsed conditions. Heart-related treatments can prove to be extremely expensive, and paying upfront for admission can be a nightmare. This plan ensures cashless treatment available across 6000+ network hospitals. In addition to this, there is an easy installment option to reduce the burden on the family of the patient.
Care Cancer Mediclaim Plan
Lifelong health insurance at attractive prices is available under this plan for cancer patients. The treatment of cancer involves a considerable amount of money, depending on the stage of the disease. This plan offers coverage for a different sum insured from INR 10 lakh to INR 2crores. This extensive coverage ensures that the plan covers all stages of cancer with cashless treatment and a monthly installment benefit.
Star Health Diabetes Safe Insurance Policy
The plan is available on the individual as well as on a floater basis and covers hospitalization expenses for complications of diabetes, both type 1 and type 2. The advantage of this policy is that there is no waiting period for diabetes and its complications under Plan A. Under Plan B, there is a 12-month waiting period. Anyone between the ages of 18 years and 65 years, suffering from diabetes mellitus, is eligible to apply for this insurance plan.
Star Special Care Plan
The Star Special Care Plan is designed primarily to offer medical insurance coverage for kids diagnosed with autism or related ailments. Under this policy, any child within the age group of 3 years to 25 years could be covered if diagnosed with the autism spectrum. Since the plan covers children up to the age of 25 years, renewal of this policy is possible up to this age limit. Beyond the age of 25, the insured person or persons will be offered other reasonable and suitable individual indemnity based health insurance policy with continuity benefits with the applicable waiting period.
HDFC ERGO - Dengue Care Plan
The Dengue Care Plan is one of its kind policies offered by HDFC ERGO, where coverage is available for any medical costs incurred on an inpatient or outpatient treatment owing to the contracting of Dengue. The unique part of this policy is that those seeking to purchase this policy requires no medical screening. Under this plan, people between the ages of 91 days to 65 years can be covered, and the plan is open to individuals and families. The plan allows a single premium rate applicable to all within the acceptable age range and has a short 15day waiting period.
Aditya Birla Cancer Secure
Cancer Secure by Aditya Birla Health Insurance, is a policy designed to offer protection from the monetary loss against cancer treatment. The treatment of cancer involves intensive medical treatment such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and more, which cost a substantial amount of money, usually out of the reach of most individuals and families. If diagnosed with cancer irrespective of any stage from early to advanced, anyone can easily get a lump sum amount within this health insurance plan. These payouts depend on the stage of cancer, such as 50% of SI is offered for early-stage cancer, 100% of SI is given for the mature stage of cancer, and 150% of the SI is provided for the advanced stage. In addition to these percentage sums, the policy offers a cumulative bonus amounting to 10% up to a maximum 100% of the sum insured.
Difference Between Disease Specific Cover & Critical Illness Insurance
When it comes to availing cover for certain illness, people often get confused between which one to buy? Both, critical illness insurance and disease specific cover are best in their own way and differ in multiple aspects. Let us take a look at the differences between disease specific cover and critical illness insurance:
- Purpose - While critical illness plan provides cover for 10 to 30 life-threatening diseases, disease specific cover is dedicated to only one specific disease.
- Waiting Period - In critical illness, there is a survival period of generally 30 days. In case of disease specific, there is a waiting period of 30 days.
- Coverage - While in critical illness plan, the cover includes expenses incurred on in-patient hospitalization, diagnosis, medication, ambulance cost, chemotherapy & radiotherapy cover, dialysis cover, organ donor cover, and more, in case of disease specific policy, the coverage includes expenses incurred on for pre and post hospitalization, domiciliary hospitalization, domestic ambulance cover, daily allowance, and annual health check-ups.
- Diseases Covered - While a critical illness policy covers Cancer, Stroke, End-Stage Renal Failure, Blindness, Paralysis, and life-threatening ailments, disease specific policies include Diabetes, Cancer, Hypertension, Kidney ailments, Cardiac ailments, Dengue and others like such.
- Premium - While critical illness plans have premium on the higher side, disease specific covers have low premium.
Disease Specific Cover - Ideal for Whom?
A health insurance policy buyer is free to purchase any policy they want. However, making a good health insurance decision involves considering one’s precise requirements and condition beforehand.
People looking forward to getting their specific disease medical requirements fulfilled under a health insurance plan must learn that a disease specific cover would be a must:
- If there is a risk of inheriting specific diseases or there is a family history of Cancer, Hypertension, Diabetes or any other disease like such.
- If you want to get yourself or your family covered for specific disease at all stages, whether early or advanced.
- If an individual has a basic policy cover from their employer and the former wants to enhance their coverage without buying a separate plan.
Is Disease Specific Cover Sufficient?
If you are new to health insurance, know that only a disease specific cover won’t do justice to all your medical requirements. If you do not possess any health insurance cover as of now and wish to buy only a disease specific cover, it is advisable to choose a basic health insurance policy as well.
It is important for you to understand that a disease specific cover would only cover expenses related to treatment of specific diseases like Cancer, Diabetes and others. Your disease specific cover won’t be of any health in case of any other medical need in case of an unexpected emergency. As a matter of fact, in such a situation, you may have to bear the cost of all medical bills from your own pocket.
So, if you want to secure the health of self and loved ones, make it a point to buy disease specific cover along with a basic health insurance policy.
Also, Read
Pick a Health Insurance Plan That's Right for You
Top Health Insurance Plans For Senior Citizens or Parents
In Conclusion:
We have enlisted some of the best insurance policies with various disease-specific plans that offer a wide range of coverage. If you are seeking such plans, it is highly recommended that you read through every detail of the plans to find the best health insurance policy for you and your family. Making an informed and timely decision will help you combat financial risk and burden during treatment and medication of some critical illnesses.
