What is an organ transplant? Is it covered in your health insurance plan? Read ahead and know more.
Q. What is Critical Illness?
Critical illness refers to life-threatening illness. It is an illness or disease which can have a significant impact on your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Major diseases such as heart attack/stroke, cancer, kidney failure are categorized as critical illnesses.
You need to check your health insurance plan if it covers critical illness. Certain ailments are not covered under a comprehensive health plan. For example, if you undergo paralysis due to a neurological/spinal disease, it can drastically reduce your working capacity as an individual. It is for such illnesses that one should purchase a separate cover called the critical illness cover. Also, you can purchase a critical illness cover as a rider to your base life or health insurance plan at the cost of an additional premium.
Q. What does Critical Illness Plan cover?
Critical Illness Insurance provides cover for up to 34 or more types of life-threatening diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, organ transplant, multiple sclerosis, major burns, coronary artery, coma, aorta graft surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, paralysis, primary pulmonary arterial hypertension and stroke. This list is not exhaustive and the diseases covered depend on the type of critical illness health plan. Some critical illness plans cover 12 diseases while others may cover 32+ diseases.
Very often, a critical illness arises out of organ failure or leads to organ failure. Failure of any essential organ requires a transplant. Organ transplant is a complicated surgical procedure in which a healthy organ is removed from one person and transplanted inside the body of the seeking person. It is an expensive procedure. So, ensure that your critical illness health insurance plan provides cover for an organ transplant. The most advisable thing to do is purchase a comprehensive health insurance plan with critical illness cover which provides the facility of an organ transplant.
As per the critical illness plan, when a doctor certifies that an organ transplant is mandatory, a lump sum amount will be released provided the insured person survives 30 days from the first diagnosis. The lump sum amount can be utilised for further care and treatment, repaying loans/debt, recuperative aid, change of lifestyle, etc.
Example of a Critical Illness Plan
HDFC Ergo Critical Illness Insurance Plan
Type Of Plan
Silver Plan
- Heart Attack
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Stroke
- Cancer
- Major Organ Transplant
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Paralysis
- Kidney Failure
Platinum Plan
- Heart Attack
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Stroke
- Cancer
- Major Organ Transplant
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Paralysis
- Kidney Failure
- Aorta Graft Surgery
- Primary Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
- Heart Valve Replacement
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- End Stage Liver Disease
- Benign Brain Tumor
Waiting Period: 90 days
Survival Period: The patient should survive for at least 30 days if he/she is diagnosed with a critical illness
Medical Check-up:: No medical check-ups up to the age of 45 years
Exclusions:
- Does not cover accidents encountered while participating in adventure sports,
- Does not cover self-imposed injuries
- Does not cover any claim that are caused due to wars.
- Does not cover accidents while you are participating in defense (Army/Navy/Air Force) activities
- Does not cover venereal or sexually transmitted diseases
- Treatment of obesity or cosmetic surgery
Conclusion
It is always advised to buy a health insurance plan when you are young. When you are young, the premium is less and you can avail a renewal discount, since you are least likely to develop a critical illness at a young age.
Recommended Link: What are the advantages of family health policy & critical illness cover?
