Breast cancer is a localised malignant tumour in the breasts, usually in the milk ducts or milk glands. The cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body. It is one of the fastest-growing diseases among women in India.
As is the case with most types of cancer, early detection and diagnosis, and effective treatment are the only ways we can fight breast cancer. Breast cancer treatment costs can be very high since they typically include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, hospitalisation, diagnostic tests, etc. Hence, it is recommended to have breast cancer insurance coverage.
Many insurers define it as critical illness insurance and offer compensation to the patient upon diagnosis. While there are many benefits of health insurance, breast cancer mediclaim insurance offers the right set of features to manage the costs associated with cancer treatment.
In this article, we will talk about breast cancer insurance and share some important things you need to know about it.
Important Information About Breast Cancer Insurance
● Breast Cancer Is Not Covered Under Regular Health Insurance Plans
Breast cancer is treated as a critical illness and hence not covered under regular health insurance plans. The insurer can probably reimburse hospitalisation charges, but the treatment costs have to be borne by the patient. You need to buy a critical illness insurance plan to receive optimum coverage.
● Get lump sum for breast cancer treatment
When you buy a critical illness health insurance plan, you can receive compensation if you are diagnosed with the disease. This compensation allows you to manage treatment costs, hospitalisation, consultation and tests and makes up for any lost income. However, you need to purchase this add-on cover by paying an extra premium.
● Waiting Period
Most standard health insurance plans cover critical illnesses only after a waiting period of two years. When you buy a critical illness add-on cover, this waiting period can drop to around 90 days. This is not a rule and can vary between insurers. Therefore, make sure to check with the insurer and read the policy documents before making the purchase.
● Survival Period
When you buy critical illness medicare breast cancer coverage, you also need to fulfil the survival period clause. Under this clause, if a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer and dies within 30 days, there will be no health insurance compensation payout. The survival period for most critical illnesses is 30 days. Make sure to check with the insurer before buying.
● Covers non-medical expenses too
Cancer patients are usually put on diet plans and spend a lot of money on non-medical things not covered by standard health insurance plans. However, when you opt for critical illness cancer or breast cancer insurance, the insurer pays a lump sum on the policyholder being diagnosed with the disease. This helps you cover all non-medical expenses too. It also helps compensate for the loss of income during the treatment period.
● Free preventive check-ups
Most critical illness insurance plans offer free annual preventive check-ups. These check-ups can identify breast cancer at an early stage and increase your chances of fighting off the disease. Also, early detection can help reduce overall treatment costs.
Summing Up
One of the most common types of cancer women face is breast cancer. With treatment costs running into lakhs of rupees, buying a critical illness breast cancer insurance plan is prudent. Make sure you keep the points mentioned above in mind and compare providers and plans to find a cost-efficient and feature-rich policy.
