Health Insurance for Ovarian Cancer Treatments

How to Get Insurance Coverage for Proton Therapy in India

Ovarian cancer is a fatal disease that affects millions of women in India each year. With the increase in the number of cases, it is necessary to have adequate health insurance coverage.

Cancer treatments are expensive and require considerable fees for diagnostic tests and doctor visits. Thus, it is important to have insurance coverage to tackle the expenses of treating ovarian cancer.

What are the types of health insurance coverage for ovarian cancer?

Health insurance coverage for ovarian cancer is divided into categories based on the treatment procedures performed at registered hospitals. Here are a few types of health insurance coverage plans for treating ovarian cancer:

• Cancer-Specific Insurance: Cancer-specific insurance provides targeted coverage for ovarian cancer-related expenses like chemotherapy, radiation, hospitalisation and surgery. These policies can easily cover the different stages of ovarian cancer, including benign and malignant stages. In addition to the insured sum, it provides a considerable amount for treatment expenses.
• Critical Illness Insurance: These plans issue a lump-sum payment upon diagnosis of ovarian cancer at the critical stage. Therefore, beneficiaries can efficiently utilise this amount for treatment and other medical-related expenses. Opting for this plan is more affordable, as it only focuses on critical illnesses like ovarian or other cancers.
• Traditional Health Insurance: Numerous standard health insurance plans cover treatment for ovarian cancer. Though they cover almost all of the expenses, it is essential to understand the coverage details, like deductibles, out-of-pocket limits, and copays.
• Supplemental Insurance: These plans can be included in existing health insurance to offer additional coverage for cancer treatments. They provide monthly income benefits to replace lost wages during the treatment process. This supplemental coverage insurance ensures patients have comprehensive financial protection and addresses gaps in the standard health insurance plans.

What are the key considerations when choosing a health insurance plan?

Here are some key points to consider while choosing a health insurance plan for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

• Insured Sum: You must ensure the policy provides sufficient coverage to address the ultra-expensive costs of ovarian cancer treatment.
• Coverage for Chemotherapy and Other Treatments: Confirm that the plan covers the different treatment methods for ovarian cancer, including chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.
• Income Benefit: Certain plans offer disability coverage or income replacement to recover lost income during treatment and recovery.
• Waiting Period: Be mindful of any waiting periods before coverage for any pre-existing conditions, including ovarian cancer, becomes effective.
• Second Opinion: Some plans provide the facility for seeking a second opinion regarding the diagnosis or treatment of ovarian cancer.
• Hospital and Doctors Network: Ensure the plan has a wide network of preferred and trustworthy hospitals and doctors.
• Pre-existing Conditions: It is crucial to understand how the coverage plan handles pre-existing conditions of ovarian cancer before the diagnosis and treatment.
• Exclusions: Check thoroughly and review the policy’s exclusions and whether any treatment is not covered under it.
   

Why is it Beneficial to Choose a Cancer Insurance Plan?

Here are some of the key benefits of buying a premium cancer insurance plan:

• Lump-sum Amount Payout: The insured is paid a considerable, adequate amount upon diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.
• Multiple-Cancer Stages Coverage: It usually covers multiple stages of cancer and pays the claim amount to the policyholder. The plans do not consider the stage at which they are diagnosed.
• Benefit of Premium Waiver: Some cancer insurance plans offer the insurer the benefit of a premium waiver, where the premium is waived under conditions like the diagnosis of early-stage ovarian cancer.
• Tax Benefits: Tax benefits mentioned under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act are available on payable cancer insurance premiums.
• No-claim Bonus: In case of no claim during the year, then the insured sum will be increased automatically at a specified percentage. Otherwise, the insurer offers a discount on premium renewal.
   

Buying a cancer insurance plan is crucial to meet the medical and treatment expenses, which continue for a longer period.