All about consumables add on cover in Health Insurance

Safety and precautions have become a significant concern worldwide after the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides wearing a mask and carrying sanitizer in bags, prevention at hospitals is equally essential. However, sometimes these precautions taken by the physicians during treatment may financially burden you. Consumable items such as gloves, masks, and other basic safety equipment are charged by the patients if not covered by a health insurance policy. In the year 2016, the Insurance Regulatory Authority of India (IRDAI) issued guidelines stating that 199 items are not covered under a health policy. However, the flexibility to include and exclude those items from their policies was given to the insurance companies. Read on to find out more about consumable add-on covers. 

What is the Meaning of Consumable Coverage in Health Insurance?

Consumable coverage in a health insurance policy refers to financial protection for all single-use medical equipment used by surgeons during treatment. It includes all disposable and medical aids that can be disposed of after use. The cost of these consumables is directly deducted from the patient’s hospital bill when they are used as a necessary component of their treatment during their hospitalization. However, some insurance companies may provide coverage for these consumables in their medical insurance plans by charging an extra premium. 

Benefits of Consumable Cover in Health Insurance 

Apart from providing a sense of financial security for consumable items, the following are the benefits of buying a consumables policy with your health insurance plan. 

• Health insurance plans typically do not cover a number of expenses incurred during hospitalization. Even though they might not seem too expensive, but could add up to a sizable bill if bought during an extended period of hospitalization. The consumable cover will safeguard the patient from paying these additional expenses incurred from buying consumable items. 
• A lot of consumable items are disposed everyday and the charges of purchasing these equipments are charged by the consumers. However, with consumable cover insurance, the bill will be charged by the insurance company. 
• As you don’t have to pay anything directly from your own pocket, the consumable cover will ensure that all the preventive measures have been taken by the surgeons and doctors during the treatment. 

What Is Covered Under Consumable Cover Health Insurance?

Among the different types of consumable items, listed below is some equipment that is covered under the consumable cover health insurance policy. 

• Administrative Charges:

This includes all the expenses incurred due to the paperwork and documentation, including birth certificates, death certificates, daily-chart charges, discharge procedures, and others. 

• House-keeping Materials:

Some of the basic necessities like mineral water, toothbrush, slippers, shampoo, toothpaste, slippers, and many other household items. 

• Room Expenses:

Expenses incurred due to the facilities provided in the room while hospitalization, including telephone, television, attendant charges, luxury tax, and others are covered. 

• Surgical Equipment:

Equipment used while performing the surgery or an operation such as cotton, razors, needles, gloves, masks, surgical tape, and others is also included. 

Among 199 consumables, there are only a few items that are not covered under the health insurance policy. Though these items don’t seem to be much more expensive now, they can bring a financial strain at the time of hospitalization.

Why Insurance Companies Do Not Cover Consumables? 

Generally, insurance companies do not cover consumables in their health insurance policy because this may result in paying a higher claim amount. This is because consumable items such as gloves, gowns, hair caps, and others are used only once by the surgeons throughout the hospitalization of the policyholder. 

However, now you can buy the consumable add-on cover with your standard health insurance policy to get coverage for consumable items. You can get protection against these additional expenses by paying a higher premium on the policy. 

Conclusion

Consumables are the basic requirements that are necessary items. With this add-on cover, a policyholder can ensure that they do not have to worry about paying additional hefty amounts. All the expenses incurred due to one-time use of equipment are payable by the insurance companies. In addition to this, this will reduce the wastage of equipment by paying only for the number of consumables used during the treatment and hospitalization.

Also Read: Is Bariatric Surgery Covered Under Health Insurance? Find Out!