In today’s world, having a health insurance mediclaim policy is paramount. The medical coverage not only safeguards individual financial assets in the hour of medical need but also offers peace of mind.
With the right coverage in hand, individuals can fight against various medical illnesses by getting top-notch health care without worrying about the cost involved.
However, before choosing a plan, it is important to compare health insurance based on coverage and also use the health insurance premium calculator to calculate your health insurance premium. One important aspect of health insurance coverage is consumables coverage. Let’s understand in detail what exactly the consumables cover in health insurance mean.
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What is Consumable Cover in Health Insurance?
Health insurance covering consumables refers to financial coverage for consumable items used during hospitalisation or medical treatment. It generally includes all disposed or discarded medical equipment after use, such as gloves, syringes, PPE kits, and more. Thiscover reimburses the cost of these items, which are often not covered under standard health insurance policies.
Earlier, consumable coverage was not offered in health insurance plans. But after the world-wide pandemic, due to its widespread usage, it became a significant part of hospital bills. Considering that, it is now offered under a health insurance plan as an add-on cover.
Benefits of Having Health Insurance Covering Consumables
Consumable cover in a health insurance plan offers financial relief to policyholders against various consumable items. Here are some prominent benefits of including consumable coverage in health insurance.
- A standard health insurance plan does not provide coverage for various things during the hospitalisation. However, these consumable items may seem small but end up adding a lot to the medical bill. However, with the consumables cover or add-on, the policyholder does not have to worry about these medical items.
- Most consumable items are generally discarded after a single use; however, patients need to pay for their expenses. However, with consumable cover, the insurance company will pay for the cost of the consumable item.
- This cover, as an add-on, ensures that all preventive measures are taken while treating patients without worrying about medical expenses.
What is Covered Under Consumables in Medical Coverage?
Below are the medical items that are covered under the consumables covered in the health insurance coverage.
Administrative Charges: All administrative charges are covered under the consumables coverage. These charges include the financial expenses incurred for paperwork and documentation for death certificates, birth certificates, discharge procedures, and more.
Surgical Equipment: Another expense covered under the consumables cover is the expense incurred for surgical equipment. Surgical equipment is medical equipment used during surgery or operations. It can include cotton, syringes, masks, surgical tape, and more.
Room Expenses: These are the charges that are included in admission for treatment in the hospital. It covers the facilities provided in the room, such as television, attendant charges, air conditioning and more.
Housekeeping Materials: Patients use housekeeping items like toothpaste, mineral water, sanitary pads, and more which fall under housekeeping materials.
Things to Look for While Opting for Consumable Cover Under Health Insurance Plan
The consumable coverage may vary depending on the medical coverage and insurance company. However, there are some considerations to look for while choosing the cover.
Consumables Covered: Before adding consumable coverage to a health insurance plan, it is important to verify all the medical items or services that are covered under the consumable coverage. Read the policy document carefully to avoid any confusion.
Maximum Limit: Some health insurance plans offer a maximum limit cap on the consumables expenses. It is best to know this beforehand to avoid any surprises at the time of claim.
Exclusions: Another crucial thing to look for while checking the consumables covered in a health insurance plan is a list of exclusions that the insurance company does not cover. Some medical items or services expenses are not covered under the plan. Knowing this in advance will help avoid such expenses during treatment.
Conclusion
Having a health insurance plan is integral to securing financial assets against various medical emergencies. However, sometimes, even after having a health insurance plan, individuals end up paying out of their pocket for additional medical expenses.
These consumable items may seem smaller but can add up to a hefty amount to the medical bills. By including consumable cover in a health insurance policy you can get covered for these additional expenses, helping to reduce your out-of-pocket costs during hospitalisation or medical treatment. Considering this, it is important to go for consumable coverage in health insurance.
