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Overview
When a woman is born, she is gifted with countless oocytes (eggs) in her ovaries. These eggs remain inactive for a while and only come to life when needed. As time goes by, one egg is released each month. As women get older, the number of eggs in her ovaries decreases. After the age of 40, the remaining eggs have a low likelihood of resulting in a successful pregnancy due to genetic changes and a scarcity of eggs.
Oocyte Donation
Women eligible as donor gamete banks identify egg donors, screen on different parameters, and test for transmissible viral diseases. Following an array of screening tests, they are grouped based on blood group. Usually, they are counselled about the donor programme. If they opt for the programme, they are registered for oocyte donation.
Surrogacy Act and ART Act, 2023
The Health Ministry of India notified the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulations (ART), 2023, earlier this year, focusing on providing donors and patients better medical care and security.
The Surrogacy and ART Act outlines specific terms and conditions for surrogacy and organ donation. These procedures are conducted separately at selected centres registered with the National ART and Surrogacy registry.
The new ART provisions put out restrictions on the number of times a donor, male or female, can donate (sperm/oocyte) in their lifetime and outlay age limits for donors.
The new Surrogacy Act and ART Act state that an oocyte donor should be an ever-married, i.e. persons who have been married at least once in their lives) woman having at least one living child (minimum three years of age). She can donate oocytes only once, and up to seven can be retrieved.
Also, an ART bank cannot supply the gamete (reproductive cell) of a single donor to more than one commissioning couple (couple seeking services). Additionally, parties interested in ART services will be needed to provide insurance coverage in the favour of the oocyte donor (for any loss, damage, or death of the donor).
A clinic is prohibited from offering to provide a child of pre-determined sex. Also, checking for genetic diseases before the embryo implantation is needed.
Star Women Care Insurance Policy
Customers are not mandated to undergo premedical tests to be eligible for the Star Women Care Insurance Policy. This policy offers an extensive range of unique features, such as the option to make mid-term additions, no pre-acceptance medical screening, coverage for pregnancy-related care and treatment, the ability to purchase the policy during pregnancy, preventive health check-ups, In-Utero fetal surgery, hospitalisation expenses for newborn babies, vaccinations, pediatrician/medical consultations, and many more.
The plan gives coverage for outpatient medical expenses from the first day for the female insured.
The primary insured sum is automatically restored once by 100% after partial or complete utilisation of the insured sum.
The policy benefits include the following:
- Customers can avail of a health check-up advantage for every policy year.
- The policy covers the hospitalisation costs for treating a newborn baby.
- An increase in bonus of 20% of the expiring sum insured for each claim-free year, up to a maximum of 100% of the basic sum insured.
- Star Mother Cover, which covers the insured mother’s room rent (allowing her to stay with her child in the same hospital) if the insured child is less than 12 years old and admitted in the ICU. If the room is not available in the same hospital, the Company will reimburse Rs.2,500/- per day subject to maximum of 7 days per hospitalization towards stay of the mother in the Hotel room if the hotel room is within 2 kms from the hospital.
- Assisted Reproduction Treatment cover includes sub-fertility treatments, such as IVF, up to certain limits.
- Rehabilitation and Pain Management Expenses, covering up to the sub-limit or 10% of the sum insured.
- Delivery expenses, including C-section, for up to two deliveries in a lifetime, up to the specified limits.
- Hospitalisation treatment expenses for the newborn baby, including surgical and medical treatment, metabolic screening, vaccination for up to 12 months, and pediatrician consultations (up to four consultations).
- Star Wellness Program, which incentivises and rewards the insured through different wellness activities. The insured can receive premium discounts by earning wellness reward points.
Additional Benefits
These comprise rehabilitation and pain management, AYUSH Treatment, ante-natal care (pregnancy care), bariatric surgery, optional cover (lump sum upon cancer diagnosis), in-utero fetal surgery/repair, coverage for cutting-edge treatments, and medical and telehealth consultations.
Star Health Oocyte Donor Cover
Star Health has extended health insurance protection to surrogate mothers and oocyte donors by adding new provisions in the Star Women Care Insurance Policy. This new cover comes without any extra charges for its policyholders.
- Coverage for individuals aged 25 to 35 (One of the intending couples must be the proposer).
- Coverage extends to a maximum of ₹1 crore.
- Type of policy: Individual Sum Insured (only for females aged between 18 and 75 years) and Floater Sum Insured (Adults aged between 18 years to 75 years with at least one female in the family, along with the spouse and dependent children)
- The oocyte donor coverage will indemnify inpatient hospitalisation expenses for complications arising from assisted reproductive treatment for 12 months.
Conclusion
Including the Surrogacy Cover and Oocyte Donor cover in the Star Women Care Insurance Policy reflects Star Health’s commitment to women’s health and well-being. This addition shows Star Health’s dedication to continually improving our policies to meet the evolving healthcare requirements of our customers.
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The Information including but not limited to text, graphics, images and other material contained on this blog are intended for education and awareness only. No material on this blog is intended to be a substitute for professional medical help including diagnosis or treatment. It is always advisable to consult medical professional before relying on the content. Neither the Author nor Star Health and Allied Insurance Co. Ltd accepts any responsibility for any potential risk to any visitor/reader.