Health Insurance for Aplastic Anemia to Avail Best Treatment

It’s impossible to think about what is going to happen in the future, especially when you grow old. The world we live in is filled with uncertainty, and in such an uncertain place, any event can happen quickly without any prior notice. A health insurance policy shall help you during those times of emergency by acting as a savior to those looking for assistance in bearing the medical expenses related to hospitalization or illness. With an upsurge in lifestyle diseases and critical illnesses, it has become crucial to choose health insurance plans to help you undergo the best treatment. In regards to that, let us now look at aplastic anemia and how health insurance plans help you in getting proper medication for protection.

What Is Aplastic Anemia?

Aplastic anemia is a very rare blood disorder. It can be referred to as a type of bone marrow failure syndrome. If you suffer from aplastic anemia, it means that the tissue in the bones (bone marrow) is not producing an adequate amount of white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets.

A person’s body having aplastic anemia will not be able to produce a sufficient amount of blood cells due to the inadequate amount of stem cells present in their body. Most of the time, this condition is caused by an immune trigger (a disease that causes the body to attack itself) that is causing damage to the stem cells in the body.

Symptoms of Aplastic Anemia

A patient with aplastic anemia will exhibit the following symptoms indicating the presence of this disorder in their body.

• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Nosebleeds
• Breathing Shortness
• Headache
• Rapidness in Heart Rate
• Bleeding Gums
• Pale Skin
• Frequent Infections

Causes Of Aplastic Anemia

The stem cells, which are found in the bone marrow, are responsible for the creation of blood cells. The condition is triggered due to the damage caused to the stem cells within the body. Most often, it is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body’s immune system to start attacking the healthy cells, such as stem cells that are present in the bone marrow.

It could also happen as an adverse consequence of cancer treatment procedures such as chemotherapy and radiation. In addition to these, heredity, the use of certain types of medications or exposure to radiation or poisonous chemicals as well as viral infections are other significant causes of aplastic anemia. 

In many cases, healthcare professionals are unable to determine the exact cause of aplastic anemia meaning; there are other factors also that might lead to the onset of this disorder, which are:

• Chemical and drug exposures.
• Pregnancy
• Infections like HIV, Hepatitis, HIV, or Epstein-Barr virus (the virus that causes mononucleosis)
• Autoimmune conditions like eosinophilic fasciitis or Lupus
• Medical treatments involve radiation such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Paroxysmal nocturnal Hemoglobinuria, wherein the red blood cells are destroyed faster
• Hereditary reasons involving a family with bone marrow dysfunction syndrome

Diagnosis and Aplastic Anemia Treatment in India

The disease is diagnosed through different tests such as blood tests, bone marrow biopsy, and a few other advanced methodologies to determine the number of blood cells and the impact of disease on the body. In some cases, doctors also recommend chest x-rays to identify infections and the extent of the damage.

In accordance with the extent of the condition existing in the body, an appropriate course of treatment is suggested. The aplastic anemia treatment cost ranges from Rs.6 lakhs to 20 lakhs in India, based on the adopted treatment. Most private hospitals offer treatment for aplastic anemia, and advanced technology is used for painless and fast recovery. With bone marrow transplant also a viable option, the doctor shall perform the required diagnosis on the patient and determine the effect of the damage done to the marrow before proceeding further. Therefore, the patient’s age is also an important aspect that needs to be considered while deciding the next course of action in treating this disorder.

Since blood transfusions and medications might also be required for the treatment of the disease, the costs could also increase further. Therefore, bone marrow transplantation is a recommended procedure for those suffering from aplastic anemia, which is typically performed for patients who are younger than 40 years of age only if there is a suitable donor in the form of a sibling or close family member. After successfully completing the surgery, patients are required to be on medications for a specific time to ensure the body doesn’t reject the donor’s stem cells.

Health Insurance for Aplastic Anemia Patients

Since aplastic anemia treatment costs are on the higher side, it might be challenging to finance the hospitalization and surgery without a health insurance policy. Aplastic anemia is a direct result of bone marrow degeneration that is caused by a range of illnesses, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Hepatitis, HIV, and exposure to harmful chemicals or ionizing radiation.

Hence, prior to offering health insurance for the anemic anaplastic patient, the insurance company would request to share their medical history details, such as prescriptions, dosages, and other relevant information. Certain other insurers may also require you to furnish doctors’ prescriptions, diagnostic reports, etc., or in some cases, may ask you to undergo a medical test at their approved medical lab. When the test results are given to the insurance company, they review the findings and match them to their standards. The price for those with pre-existing health conditions is always higher. Finally, the insurer will provide you with the premium quote for the assigned sum insured, along with the inclusions and exclusions of the policy.

The Conclusion

With the importance of maintaining an appropriate and healthy lifestyle being understood by everyone during the time of a pandemic outbreak, it is also essential to look for other symptoms in your body that could trigger certain other disorders like aplastic anemia. So, pick a comprehensive health insurance policy that not only provides coverage for the latest treatment methods but also assures you with peace of mind for yourself and your family.