Home Health Care Is An Important Part Of Health Policy

In this digital-driven era, healthcare issues and disorders are rising exponentially. Due to medical inflation, hospitals are charging a hefty amount from patients to treat their healthcare conditions. Thus, many patients can’t afford these exorbitant costs and under a healthcare emergency, they don’t have any other options except to adopt home care services. Moreover, during the COVID-19 peaks, people have chosen home health care services as hospitals are already preoccupied with patients.

People prefer home health care services because they believe that under the support of their loved ones, they will recover faster. Apart from offering medical care, home health care offers an array of other services including assistance for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and more. Since the popularity of health care home services/domiciliary treatment is increasing, hence the Indian insurance regulator (IRDAI) has instructed insurance providers to incorporate “homecare/domiciliary treatment” as an add-on cover to their existing health insurance plans.

Also Read: Top Benefits Of Buying A Family Floater Health Insurance Policy

5 Benefits of Home Health Care Services

Most of us know what health care service is, and getting the same at the comfort of your home is more beneficial. In short, there are plenty of benefits that come with home health care services. That’s why many people are opting for health insurance policies that offer you home health care facilities.

1. Faster Recovery: The prime benefit of choosing a home health care coverage in your health insurance policy is the recovery of the patient. If your health insurance policy offers post-care coverage, then you should start it immediately for the quicker recovery of the patient. This will lessen the time of recovery that is a good sign of convalescence.

2. Prevents Postoperative Treatment Expenses: Moreover, you need to spend a chunk of money on these post-operative treatments or medications. If you don’t go for these home-based treatments; you might face financial turbulence for yourself as well as your family.

3. Economical Choice of Treatment: Many general health insurance policies have included home health care services in their plans and most of them are economical and beneficial for policyholders. By opting for these home health care services; a policyholder doesn’t need to pay hospital room rent. Room rents are very expensive these days and it will enhance your total healthcare expenditures by around 20%-30%. If you want to lessen your treatment cost, then you must choose home healthcare services.

4. Premiums are the Same: Most policyholders find that home health service coverage is affordable as this won’t increase their premiums significantly. These days, health insurance policies are offering post-hospitalization coverage which is an imperative feature.

5. Better Home Care for Patients with Few Complications: Patients who have fewer complications or co-morbid conditions can recover faster at their homes rather than in hospitals. Home healthcare treatments are beneficial for patients as they help them to manage their conditions. Under home health care services, patients get support from their family members. Moreover, the amicable atmosphere of home helps them in their recovery processes and motivates them to resume their normal activities quickly.

Several healthcare experts have also claimed that the patient’s recovery is faster if he/she stays at home along with the family members as compared to those who are staying at hospitals.

What is Covered Under Home Health Services?

Home healthcare services are available for some medical tests such as blood tests, x-ray, urine tests, doctor’s consultation fees, medication fees, etc. The costs of all these tests will be covered by your health insurance policy.

Let’s check the home health care services lists that are covered by your policy.

1. Domiciliary Treatment

Domiciliary treatment implies those treatments that can be carried at home itself. This used to be done for two major reasons, i.e., either the patient is very delicate and critical and thus, can’t be shifted to the hospital, or there are no vacant beds in hospitals temporarily. Under these two scenarios, a patient should go for domiciliary treatment. Most health insurance policies are offering coverage for domiciliary treatment these days.

2. Outpatient Department Treatments (OPD)

OPD treatments are those treatment procedures where patients need minimal medical care and expertise. These treatments can be performed in the home of the patient itself. Nowadays, health insurance policies are covering all these incurred during these treatments. General doctors’ consultations, pathological tests, dental procedures, physiotherapy treatments, etc. belong to the OPD treatment category.

3. Daycare Treatment

Daycare treatment procedures come under home health services and these procedures are expensive. You don’t need hospitalization for these treatments and thus, these treatments can be carried out at the home of the patient. Some treatments that belong to daycare procedures are Cataract, Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Hydrocele, Plastic Surgery, etc.

4. Pre-hospitalization and Post-hospitalization

Nowadays, pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization procedures are covered under home health care services and most general health insurance policies provide coverage for these.

What is Not Covered Under Home Health Services?

• Any medicine that is taken by the patient but is not related to the treatment procedure
• Alternative treatments like acupuncture, acupressure, naturopathy, etc. cannot be included under the coverage of home health care services
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Self-injuries like suicide

Sub-Limits of Home Healthcare Treatment Reimbursement

Sub-limits indicate a certain percentage of the sum insured that needs to be paid off by the policyholder at the time of claim. Some health insurers offer home healthcare treatment costs up to a certain percentage but many insurance companies offer this as add-on coverage.

For instance, you purchased a health insurance policy of Rs. 10 lakh, and the policy provided 15% of the sum insured as home healthcare treatment expenses. This means you can claim up to Rs. 1.5 lakh for your home care treatment from your insurance company.

The Conclusion

Home health care coverage is an amazing option that helps you to enjoy the best quality of treatment in the comfort of your home, without stretching your finances. Choose the best health insurance plans to avoid future hassles.