To buy health insurance, it is generally recommended to read the insurance policy documents carefully to understand all the terms and conditions of the policy. Another important aspect of health insurance that potential policyholders must carefully consider is the inclusions and exclusions of their plan. The details about what’s covered and what’s not covered are also clearly mentioned in the policy papers.
In addition to that, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has also created a list of diseases under ‘permanent exclusions’ that insurers do not have to provide coverage for. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the diseases and medical conditions that have been classified as permanent exclusions in health insurance by the IRDAI.
Here is the list of diseases as declared by the IRDAI that are considered permanent exclusions in a health policy:
Sarcoidosis
Malignant Neoplasms
Epilepsy
Heart Ailments; Congenital heart disease, Valvular heart disease
Cerebrovascular Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Chronic Liver Diseases
Pancreatic Diseases
Chronic Kidney Disease
Hepatitis B
Alzheimer’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease
Demyelinating Disease
HIV and AIDS
Loss of Hearing
Papulosquamous Skin Disease
Avascular Necrosis
Note: In order to ensure that people who have these diseases as pre-existing conditions get adequate coverage, the IRDAI also recommends that insurers can add these diseases under ‘inclusions’ of their plans for those specific policyholders. The IRDAI also mentions that the policyholders must be made aware of the fact that these diseases have been added as ‘inclusions’ under their policy when changes to the policy terms are made by the insurer.
Apart from the list of diseases mentioned above, there are also some other common diseases/medical conditions which are termed exclusions in health insurance. Let’s take a quick look at them:
Pre-existing health conditions
Infertility
Injuries/illnesses that result from illegal activities
Injuries suffered as a result of engaging in adventure sports
Addiction treatments
Dental treatments (unless the dental injury results from an accident)
Genetic disease/Congenital conditions
Cosmetic treatments
Treatment for self-harm
Alternative therapies
Note: This is a general list of common exclusions. Some health insurance providers may provide coverage for some of these conditions in their plans, as the list of inclusions varies under different insurers. Refer to the insurance policy document provided by your health insurer to understand the full scope of your health plan’s inclusions and exclusions.
It is common knowledge that health insurance has become a necessity for everyone. Given the rising healthcare costs and rampant medical inflation, health insurance remains the most effective financial tool to combat these costs. However, you need to consider many factors if you are planning to buy health insurance.
Most importantly, you should understand the inclusions and exclusions of the policy clearly so that you know exactly what kind of medical conditions and diseases you will be covered for. If you are looking to buy a new health insurance plan for yourself and your family, you can check out the range of health insurance plans available at Bajaj Markets.
The IRDAI has created the following list of diseases that insurers can permanently exclude from their insurance plans:
Sarcoidosis
Malignant Neoplasms
Epilepsy
Heart Ailments; Congenital heart disease, Valvular heart disease
Cerebrovascular Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Chronic Liver Diseases
Pancreatic Diseases
Chronic Kidney Disease
Hepatitis B
Alzheimer’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease
Demyelinating Disease
HIV and AIDS
Loss of Hearing
Papulosquamous Skin Disease
Avascular Necrosis
In case you have one of the ‘permanently excluded’ diseases as a pre-existing condition at the time of buying your insurance policy, the insurer may choose to voluntarily offer you coverage for your condition.
Yes, most pre-existing diseases are initially considered exclusions under health insurance until the waiting period for them has passed. Once the waiting period gets over, you can get coverage for your pre-existing conditions.