Medical Insurance for Heart Patients and Cardiac Surgery

Health Insurance for Heart Patients and its Importance

Over the past couple of decades, there has been an increase in the number of heart diseases among Indians due to a variety of factors. As per a study by the NCBI, the number of deaths in India due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in 2020 were approximately 47 Lakhs. According to the same study, around 7.4% of the rural population and 13.2% of the urban population are vulnerable to coronary heart diseases.

Lifestyle changes such as easy availability of junk food, working in a sedentary environment, disrupted sleep schedules, excessive stress, etc. are also major contributors to heart disease. The cost of treatments for heart-related health problems is quite high. Even minor surgeries can cost lakhs of rupees and prolonged illness can wipe out your savings. However, you can use a good health insurance plan to cover your heart and cardiac-related medical expenses. Let’s take a detailed look at health insurance for heart patients.

Key Features of Health Insurance for Heart Patients

If you buy a health insurance plan specifically targeted at providing coverage for heart disease, these are the main features you can benefit from:

• The heart health insurance plan will cover hospitalisation expenses for the treatment of cardiac-related medical conditions.

• The health insurance for heart patients will offer financial coverage for medical treatment and surgeries related to cardiac medical conditions.

• If the policyholder is diagnosed with a critical cardiac illness, they may get a lump-sum amount from the insurer for the treatment expenses if the policy has a provision for the same.

• The health insurance for heart patients will also provide ‘loss of income’ coverage to compensate for lost income due to the insured’s heart conditions.

• As with other types of health insurance, there’s also a tax benefit on the premiums paid for health insurance for cardiac patients under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

What is Covered Under Health Insurance for Heart Patients

Most health insurance plans aimed at heart patients include coverage for the following:

• Coverage for in-hospital costs like ICU expenses, medical tests, etc.

• Most of these plans also cover pre and post hospitalisation expenses related to cardiac treatments.

• Some medical insurance for heart patients also cover the cost of OPD consultation or short term hospitalisations (less than a day).

• Most heart insurance plans also provide coverage for the treatment of myocardial infarction, which is a treatment for the first or initial heart attack that a patient experiences.

• Most of these insurance plans offer coverage for the treatment of heart failure.

• Some of these plans may also offer coverage for yearly check-ups for heart health.

Treatments or Medical Procedures Covered

Health insurance plans for heart patients often provide coverage for heart-related treatment and surgeries like:

• Coronary artery bypass graft

• Valvuloplasty

• Cardiac Arrhythmia surgery

• Open heart surgery

• Angioplasty

• Heart transplant

• Surgery for planting pacemaker

These are just some of the treatments covered by health insurance for heart patients. Make sure you read the policy document before settling on which policy to buy.

What is Not Covered Under Health Insurance for Heart Patients?

Some of the exclusions under this type of health insurance are:

• Any heart problems caused due to self-inflicted injuries or self-harm.

• Heart complications arising out of childbirth, abortion, or miscarriage.

• Internal congenital disease from birth might not get covered.

• Heart conditions caused due to consumption of alcohol or drugs are not covered

Note: There may also be other exclusions that are applicable on different heart insurance plans offered by different insurers.

READ MORE: Health Insurance Premium Calculator

Who Should Buy Cardiac Health Insurance Plans?

Although cardiac conditions among the youth and middle-aged were rare a few decades ago, the cases of heart disease among youngsters are on the rise due to stressful lifestyles and poor dietary choices. On the other hand, the elderly are always susceptible to heart conditions due to age. Moreover, people who have pre-existing conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, and respiratory diseases are also at a higher risk of suffering from heart disease. People who have a family history of heart disease may also be susceptible to heart disease. If you fall under any of the above categories, you should preemptively buy health insurance for heart patients.

How to Buy Cardiac Health Insurance Plans Online

Since most insurance companies have insurance plans available online, you can buy heart health insurance while sitting in the comfort of your home by following these steps:

Step 1: Visit the website of the insurance company you wish to buy insurance from and enter your information.

Step 2: Select the heart health insurance option that suits your requirements and budget.

Step 3: Read all policy documents and verify the premium rates.

Step 4: Upload the necessary documents required for purchasing the policy.

Step 5: Make the online premium payment using available payment modes.

Step 6: Your heart health insurance plan will be activated and the policy sent via email

Conclusion

You can improve the health of your heart by engaging in regular cardio exercises and practising a healthy and mindful diet composed of fresh and homemade healthy foods rather than depending on junk food. If you are at risk or vulnerable to heart diseases due to pre-existing conditions, it is also a good idea to get frequent check-ups to track your overall health and identify any medical issues before they get serious. Most importantly, consider getting a health plan that can keep you covered against hospitalisations and medical emergencies. Check out some really good health insurance plans available at Bajaj MARKETS.

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