Lifestyle disorders these days seem to be on the rise. These are often considered to be silent killers that affect the overall health of a person and cause many long-term health issues. One such disorder is diabetes. Though diabetes is at times hereditary, most of the times it happens due to unhealthy life practices. For whatever reason, if you get diabetes, you need to have good health insurance plan coverage to ensure you receive the best possible treatment. A good way to ensure that happens is by buying a diabetes protection plan. Take a look at this article to know more.
What is diabetes and why is it dangerous?
The blood sugar levels in the body need to be of a steady level. The body should be able to break down the carbs and sugars and process them properly. When a person has diabetes, the body is unable to release adequate amounts of insulin and thereby the sugars are not broken down. This results in high blood sugar levels in the body that cause damage to the liver and other vital organs. It is an extremely dangerous illness that keeps getting worse with time unless timely intervention is done. This is why it is important to get the proper medical examinations done and stay healthy.
Why is Health Insurance Needed?
Health insurance is a vital requirement for people who have diabetes or even those who are prone to it. This is a few important reasons behind that:
- Treatment is Expensive
As we all know, the health care expenses have really skyrocketed. Even a small visit to the doctor leaves you poorer by a few thousand rupees, so you can imagine how expensive a complicated ailment like diabetes could be. From the medicines to the tests to the frequent doctor visits to even hospitalisation if needed, all the expenses put together can be very expensive. You may struggle to pay the bills if you do not have a health insurance policy. This is a very crucial reason why you need to buy a good health insurance plan to cover diabetes health insurance claims.
- Diagnosis is Important
As stated, diabetes is an ailment that can affect the entire body and really cause a lot of damage to the vital organs. This is why timely and proper diagnosis is very important. If you have a health insurance plan for diabetes, it becomes smooth for you to carry out the necessary tests and diagnose the disease early on and then get treated in a comprehensive manner.
- Regular Follow Up is Needed
Diabetes is a disorder that requires constant follow up. You have to undergo blood tests frequently, you have to visit your doctor very frequently and your medications need to be adjusted from time to time. This is another way in which health insurance helps as you can easily afford the follow-up expenses and keep yourself fit always.
- One Illness Leads to Another
Diabetes is a severe ailment which leads to multiple other illnesses if not kept under control. Hence, diabetes needs to be controlled and monitored on a regular basis.
Now that you know when buying a diabetes health insurance plan is so important, go ahead and get one without wasting any more time.
Options in Health Insurance for Diabetes Patients
Here are a few options available to a diabetic looking to buy health insurance:
- Family Floater Plan
Sadly, most health plans list diabetes as an exclusion. However, some floater plans do cover diabetes, but after long waiting periods of three or four years. If you have diabetes in your family or you think your lifestyle may lead to you developing the disorder, get a family floater health insurance plan that has a diabetes cover so that you can wait out the waiting period now when you are healthy and still diabetes-free.
- Standalone Diabetes Plan
These days, there are some standalone health insurance plans that are exclusively available for the patients of diabetes. People who already have diabetes can get these plans in a very easy and effortless manner. There are comprehensive health covers available under these plans. Run a comparison between them to choose your best option.
The available plans include- Star Health Diabetes Safe - This plan covers both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and all complications related to the same. This plan has flexible plan options, OPD coverage, automatic restoration, accidental benefits, etc.
- Care Freedom Diabetes Plan - This is a comprehensive indemnity health insurance plan for people with diabetes, high BP and high BMI. The plan is available for INR 3 lakhs, 5 lakhs, 7 lakhs and 10 lakhs. Other than the usual indemnity health insurance plan benefits, this plan covers annual health check-up, dialysis cover, companion cover, consumable allowance, etc.
- HDFC ERGO (erstwhile Apollo Munich) Energy Plan which is a complete health insurance plan for hospitalisation coverage from day 1 for the diabetic with restore benefit, health check up, personalised web portal, health coach, etc. other than the regular indemnity benefits of hospitalisation.
- Active Health Enhanced (Diabetes) from Aditya Birla Health Insurance provides coverage from day 1 for medicines, diagnostic tests and doctor consultation, etc. for diabetic, high BP, high cholesterol and asthma patients along with indemnity and hospitalisation benefits.
- Star Health Diabetes Safe - This plan covers both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and all complications related to the same. This plan has flexible plan options, OPD coverage, automatic restoration, accidental benefits, etc.
- Group Health Plan
At times, you may find your group health insurance also offering a diabetes cover. This is not very common, so please go over the policy wordings to ensure the cover is available. This is especially applicable to those who seriously and solely depend on group health insurance for all their medical insurance needs.
Choose an option that is suitable for you and keep yourself protected in a comprehensive and wholesome manner.
Conclusion
Getting a diabetes cover is important. A point to note here is that the premium you pay for a diabetes cover will be slightly high. This holds true for the standalone plans as well as the family floater health plans. However, paying a slightly higher premium is completely worth it as the coverage and protection you receive are of very value. So if you still haven't invested in a good diabetes protection plan yet, go right ahead and get the cover at the earliest and stay safe and protected at all times.
