Benefits of Getting Annual Health Checkups Under Your Health Insurance
Meta:Health check-ups can be expensive. It would help if you got it under your health insurance policy to make it accessible and regular as you can do it yearly.
As lifestyle diseases are rising, we must care for our health more than ever. Making a routine of yearly health check-ups can be a saviour as you can get timely treatment in case of a disease. Since routine check-ups can be expensive, one may use a health insurance plan's annual health check-up facility offered at their network hospitals. Depending on your policy, you may also be able to use this facility 1-2 times per year.
Regular medical health check-ups are essential for a healthy lifestyle. It can also aid in the early detection of a wide range of chronic diseases and other serious medical conditions. So, ensure you check out the free services you can get when you go for a health insurance policy and whether they are helpful for your overall health.
Understanding Medical Check-up
A medical check-up is a complete body analysis of how your body works. It includes vital body checks such as heart health, organ functions, metabolism rate, and other symptoms. With this, you can monitor your overall health and detect any early signs of disease. This makes a free medical check-up beneficial, as it allows you to take precautionary measures by changing your lifestyle per the advice given. Know these points to understand it better:
The Frequency Offered by the Health Insurance Companies
Health insurance companies usually offer a free health check-up every one, two, or four years of continuous no-claim renewal. The insurer may also reimburse you for medical tests, check-ups and diagnostic services in some cases. There are also options to get the same advantage even if you have filed a health insurance claim during the policy term.
Estimation of the Expenses Needed for the Tests
The amount payable after the specified years of claim-free renewal is subject to a predetermined limit set according to the sum insured under the policy—the greater the sum, the larger the amount for the free medical examination.
Network Centres
Your insurance provider directly pays for the cost of medical tests at the network medical centres when you undergo medical examinations. If you choose to have it done at a non-network facility, you can pay for the expenses, and the insurer will reimburse you after you submit the necessary bills.
The Tests
Your health insurance plan will include information about free medical screening and a list of tests that will be performed as part of your health check-up. Some standard tests include blood count, random blood sugar, lipid profile, urine routine, ECG, X-Ray, etc. The specific tests vary depending on your medical insurance policy. Still, the list below is a generic list of tests performed to gain a comprehensive analysis of your medical health and wellbeing.
- HyperTension
- Blood Sugar
- Lipid Profile
- ECG Test
- Liver Function
- Urine Analysis
- Checking if there are any vitamin deficiencies
- Pap smear (for women, yearly)
- Kidney Function
- Lung Function
Effect of the Diagnosed Illness on the Premium
There is no increase in the premium amount for health insurance with free medical check-ups based on the results of the medical tests. However, if you believe it is necessary to increase the sum insured due to the diagnosed health issues, the premium will rise accordingly. You can decide what additional benefits you will receive based on the findings.
The Necessity of Medical Checkups
Even though we know that a free check-up is available as part of our health insurance plan, many of us do not take advantage of it because we are unaware of the benefits. Here's why a routine medical test is crucial:
- Any potential illness that could cause a major health problem can be identified early and treated to prevent future damage to your body.
- The possibility of any illness or medical complication turning out to be fatal is significantly reduced.
- You will be aware of your medical condition and take the necessary precautions to maintain your health.
- A fit body can help you reduce your mental stress and keep you happy, enabling you to live a longer life.
How to Get the Benefit of a Free Medical Checkup
The application process for a free medical examination is straightforward. This contradicts the widely held belief that obtaining medical coverage is time-consuming. However, it would be best if you first determined whether your health provider offers this additional benefit. Only a few health insurance companies offer this feature.
Contact your insurance company. You can also call their toll-free number or send an email with your policy number.
The insurance company will either send you an approval letter to carry to the hospital or a representative will contact you and arrange a free medical examination at your preferred diagnostic facility.
If you have a cashless health insurance plan, you can walk into your preferred hospital or diagnostic centre and receive a free health check-up without paying anything. If the hospital is not on the list of accredited medical facilities, you can pay cash and have your medical bills reimbursed.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has made owning a health insurance plan imperative. And many of us are unaware that the insurance plan includes a free medical check-up. Now that you know about this feature and understand the basic terms and conditions, upgrade your health insurance plan if needed and get regular health check-ups.
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Yes, you can. Your health insurance policy covers a free medical examination. However, people are often unaware of the procedure to obtain it, and others are concerned that it will raise premium rates.
It is a medical condition that existed before purchasing your health insurance policy, and it is significant because insurance companies do not cover such pre-existing conditions within 48 months of the first policy. It means that after 48 months of continuous insurance coverage, pre-existing conditions can be considered for payment.
No. Your insurer still offers you a grace period of 15-30 days to renew your expired policy. However, if you fail to renew your policy even within the grace period, your policy will be lapsed hence you cannot renew the same.
'Any one illness' refers to a consistent period of illness, including recurrence within the policy's specified number of days, generally 45 days.
Family floater health insurance plans are single policies covering the entire family's hospitalisation costs. The policy has a single sum insured, which can be used by any/all insured persons in any ratio or amount up to the policy's overall limit. Family floater plans cover all medical expenses during unexpected illnesses, surgeries, and accidents.