Outpatient department treatment (OPD) states a patient's visit to a doctor or a clinic for medicines and routine check-ups. On the other hand, daycare treatments need a person to be in the hospital for less than 24 hours for treatment. All the health insurance policies cover some or the other daycare treatments, but not all may cover OPD treatment.
Making settlements for daycare treatments is relatively similar to what it is with regular hospitalisation. To make a claim, you must submit all the relevant documents regarding the treatment you have availed yourself of within the timeline specified in the fine print. There is also an advantage for you in the case of daycare treatments as they are generally planned well. If you sign up for any daycare-related procedures, you can step into one of the numerous network hospitals affiliated with your insurance provider. This way, you can opt for a cashless transaction with your insurance company and let the latter handle all the payments in your place. To make this happen, you should inform your health insurance provider many days in advance and provide all the necessary documentation for the treatment you have availed yourself.
What is Daycare Treatment?
Daycare treatment refers to medical procedures requiring hospitalisation of fewer than 24 hours. Similar daycare treatments include chemotherapy, cataract, radiation, dialysis, tonsillectomy, etc. You can also find the list of all the daycare procedures covered in your health insurance plan in your policy wordings and on the insurer's website.
What is OPD Treatment?
OPD means an outpatient department, where patients come to the hospital to consult their health issues with the doctor to start the treatment. Cases don't necessarily need to be hospitalised but can visit any medical facility, similar to an individual centre, consultation room, pharmacy, etc., in the hospital.
On Paytm Insurance, you can check out OPD treatment plans and daycare treatment plans online. Both might sound similar, but there's a massive difference between OPD and daycare process. Read on to know more.
Difference Between Daycare And OPD Treatments
- The daycare process requires you to stay in the hospital or clinic for many hours, even if it takes less time.
- The health insurance claim won't be allowable under daycare procedures if those treatments are done on an outpatient basis that doesn't bear hospitalisation. On the other hand, OPD treatments anyway do not bear hospitalisation.
- Typically, cataract procedures, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy fall under the category of daycare procedures, while fever consultations and root canals are examples of OPD treatments.
OPD Treatments/Process
When a person goes for an outpatient consultation, it requires meeting a specialised doctor or a specialist to treat the specific disease or illness they are suffering from. It can include treating and diagnosing the disease and delivering medications, vaccinations, scans, etc.
A root canal or fever consultation is an elegant example of understanding OPD treatments. You can visit the doctor in a hospital or clinic without getting admitted; thus, the treatment falls under the OPD division.
Conclusion
When buying a health insurance policy, it's essential to understand the details and procedure. You should be clear in your wants while choosing the right medical insurance plan to avoid delays or complications during the claim settlement period.
We hope that with this article, you can now understand the fine line between OPD treatment and daycare procedures. Also, don't forget to renew your health insurance plan on time to avail treatment for either. Most of the plans currently also cover the COVID- 19 treatment.
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