Does your Health Insurance Cover Monkeypox?
Buy a health Insurance plan that covers Monkeypox
While our vulnerable minds and bodies are not yet back to normal post a ruinous pandemic, there is another virus that has started paralysing the world with fear.
After its spread in multiple countries, on July 23rd, WHO declared Monkeypox a global health emergency. This declaration itself explains the seriousness of the disease and the need for a coordinated international response.
Every disease brings with itself not just physical and mental trauma, but also a financial shock. In such cases, your health insurance policy is your saviour and this, in turn, pops up the question:
“Does my health insurance policy cover Monkeypox”?
The answer to the above question is Yes!
Most of the Health Insurance policies cover Monkeypox if it requires hospitalisation. However, for complete coverage, exclusion and terms and conditions of your policy, please refer to your policy document.
The Digit Health Care Plus Policy covers all hospitalisation expenses and in case you have an OPD policy with us, we do cover OPD expenses too.
What’s covered in our Health Insurance?
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Important Features |
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All Hospitalization, including for CoronavirusThis covers for hospitalization expenses due to an Illness, Accident or even a Critical Illness. It can be used to cover for multiple hospitalizations, as long as the total expenses are up to your sum insured. |
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Additional Sum Insured- Critical Illness HospitalizationThis is an extra cover that can be used in case of any Critical Illness treatment. (For eg: Kidney Failure, Cancer, Liver Failure, Brain Tumor, etc) However, this can only be used after your All Hospitalization coverage is exhausted. |
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Additional Sum Insured- Accidental HospitalizationThis is an extra cover that can be used in case of a hospitalization due to an accident when your All Hospitalization coverage has already been exhausted. |
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Daycare ProceduresHealth insurances generally cover medical expenses only for hospitalizations exceeding 24 hours. This covers for medical treatments undertaken in a hospital, requiring less than 24 hours due to technological advancement. |
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No Age Based CopaymentA Copayment refers to the amount of money you need to pay from your pocket, during a health insurance claim. In our plans, there is no age based copayment involved! |
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Cumulative BonusIf you do not make any claim in a year, Digit rewards you with an increase in your base Sum Insured, without any increase in your annual health insurance premium. This increase in your Sum Insured is called as your 'Cumulative Bonus'. |
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Refill Sum InsuredIn some cases it may happen that your Sum Insured is already used up due to an accident or illness, or simply because your entire family was sharing the Sum Insured. In such cases, we give you the benefit to refill it at any point in your policy period. |
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Room Rent CappingDifferent categories of rooms have different rents. Just like how hotel rooms have tarrifs. With Digit, some plans give you the benefit of having no room rent cap, as long as it is below your Sum Insured. |
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Standard Features |
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Road Ambulance Charges |
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ICU Room RentICU (Intensive Care Units) are meant for serious patients. The level of care is higher in ICUs, which is why the rent is higher too. Digit does not put any limit to the rent as long as it is below the your Sum Insured. |
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Complimentary Health CheckupsAnnual health checkups are important to ensure you are aware of your overall health and well-being. This is a renewal benefit that allows you to reimburse your expenses towards any annual medical tests and checkups, at any hospital of your choice. |
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Organ Donor ExpensesIn case of an organ transplant, if there is a need of an organ donor, hospitalisation charges for the organ donor will be covered. However, the cost of finding a donor is not covered. |
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Daily Hospital CashGetting admitted in the hospital results in expenses beyond the hospital bill. Digit understands this and pays you a daily cash allowance, that helps you manage daily expenses for things such as snacks, tea, coffee and more. This benefit is applicable after 1 day up to 30 days of hospitalization. |
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Home HospitalizationUnder certain unavoidable circumstances, if your parent requires treatment or hospitalization at home, this cover can be helpful. |
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Post Hospitalization LumpsumThis is a benefit you can use to cover all your medical expenses post hospitalization, at the time of discharge. No bills required. You can choose to either use this benefit or use the standard post-hospitalization benefit, through the process of reimbursement. |
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Psychiatric Illness CoverIf due to a trauma, one has to be hospitalized for a psychiatric treatment, it will be covered under this benefit. However, OPD consultations are not covered under this. |
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Bariatric SurgeryThis coverage is for those facing organ issues due to their obesity (BMI > 35). However, in case the obesity is due to eating disorders, hormones or any other treatable conditions, this surgery cost will not be covered. |
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Additional Covers |
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Maternity Benefit with Newborn Baby CoverIf you plan on having a baby in the next two years or so, you can opt for this. It covers for child-delivery (including medically necessary terminations), infertility expenses and coverage for the newborn baby up to its first 90 days. |
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Alternate Treatment (AYUSH)If your parents wish to get hospitalized under an alternate therapy such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and/or Homeopathy. |
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Zone UpgradeEvery city falls either in Zone A, B or C. Zone A has Delhi and Mumbai. Zone B has cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkatta. The zones are divided as per medical costs. Zone A cities have highest medical costs therefore the premium to get a treatment under health insurance in these cities is a bit higher. If you wish to get treated in a bigger city than where you live, you can upgrade your plan for the same. |
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What’s not covered?
Pre-natal and post-natal medical expenses, unless it leads to hospitalization.
In case of a pre-existing disease, unless the waiting period is over, the claim for that disease or illness cannot be made.
Any condition you get hospitalized for, that doesn’t match with the doctor’s prescription is not covered.
How to file a Claim?
Reimbursement Claims - Let us know in case of a hospitalization within two days of admission at 1800-258-4242 or email us at healthclaims@godigit.com and we'll send you a link where you can upload your hospital bills and all relevant documents to process the reimbursement.
Cashless Claims - Choose the network hospital. You can find the complete list of network hospitals here. Display e-health card to the hospital helpdesk and ask for the cashless request form. If all is good, your claim will be processed then and there.
If you have claimed for Coronavirus, make sure you have a positive test report from an authorized centre of ICMR – National Institute of Virology, Pune.
Now that we know about saving our finances from Monkeypox hit with the help of a healthcare policy, let's have a quick glance at this disease that has brought several countries on high alert.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox, a zoonotic viral disease (i.e., it can spread from animals to humans) is caused by a virus belonging to the same family as that of smallpox virus and thus, the symptoms of monkeypox are very similar to that of smallpox, though less severe. Post eradication of smallpox in 1980, this is the most concerning orthopox virus that has emerged once again posing a threat to public health.
The Monkeypox virus was first identified in 1970 and was an endemic mostly prevalent in Central and Western Africa. The first infection outside the endemic areas was found in 2003. However, post 2018, though in rare occurrences, the virus has been reported in other countries as well.
Symptoms of Monkeypox
Post virus exposure, the symptoms might take several days to a few weeks to appear. Early signs of Monkeypox are almost flu like and might include one or more of the below:
- Fever
- Chills
- Body ache
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Swollen lymph nodes
After a few days, rashes start developing. These rashes start as painful red bumps. These bumps gradually turn into pus filled blisters that eventually crust and fall over. The symptoms usually last for 2-4 weeks and vary considerably across people. In the recent outbreak milder symptoms have been observed.
How does Monkeypox spread?
The spread of Monkeypox is mainly through close contact with the infected person or animal through body fluids or lesions. Transmission through respiratory droplets requires a prolonged exposure. It can also spread through coming in contact with the contaminated belongings of the infected person.
Transmission can also occur via placenta from mother to foetus resulting in congenital Monkeypox or during and after childbirth due to the close contact.
Since the rodents are the most likely reservoir of this pathogen, eating uncooked or partially cooked meat can also be a risk factor for Monkeypox spread.
The Diagnosis of Monkeypox
Since monkeypox presents the same symptoms as any other flu or pox, it might not be detected in earlier stages. The usual distinguishing feature is swollen lymph nodes and then subsequent diagnostic tests.
For the diagnostic tests, usually a tissue sample is collected from an open lesion, which is then sent to the lab for PCR (Polymerase Chain reaction or genetic fingerprinting) test.
A blood test might also be performed to check the presence of Monkeypox virus or the related antibodies in the blood stream.
Treatment of Monkeypox
The treatment of Monkeypox is symptomatic. Clinical management of Monkeypox includes alleviation of symptoms, managing complications and preventing long term effects. Patients should be kept completely hydrated to prevent water loss and complete hygiene should be followed to prevent secondary bacterial infections as well as to mitigate the spread of the disease.
Monkeypox is a self-limiting disease, and its symptoms last for usually 2-4 weeks.
Prevention of Monkeypox
Being from the same family, a smallpox vaccine works for Monkeypox virus. Prevention depends on decreasing human contact with infected animals or humans. The below measures would help in doing this:
- Avoid contact with the infected humans/animals
- Avoid contact with the contaminated belongings of the patient.
- Wash your hands and maintain proper hygiene
- Proper usage of face mask when in public or around people suspected of infection
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces if there is an infected person around.
- Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when taking care of infected people.
Disclaimer: The above details are information from various government websites and other source. They are for just informative purposes and do not, in any way, represent our view or recommendation. Please seek medical help if required.
Sources:
Monkeypox National Health Portal Of India | Monkeypox (who.int) | Monkeypox (who.int)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Monkeypox coverage in Health Insurance
Does my Health Insurance cover Hospitalisation and treatment expenses for Monkeypox?
Yes, the Digit comprehensive health insurance policy covers all expenses related to Monkeypox as per the policy. In relation to Monkeypox, Digit covers the expenses only in case where there is hospitalisation unless you have separate OPD coverage in your policy. However, when it comes to any kind of insurance, it's always best to read your policy documents and confirm for the extent of coverage and other clauses.
Am I at the risk of contracting Monkeypox in India?
As of now, the risk of Monkeypox in India is low. However, due to the communicable nature of the disease, and to be on toes to combat any spread, the authorities have declared a high alert for Monkeypox.
When should someone get tested for Monkeypox?
People who have any symptoms for Monkeypox or have been in close contact with a Monkeypox patient, should visit a healthcare provider who will, in turn help to decide and perform a Monkeypox diagnosis test.
What should I do if I have Monkeypox Symptoms?
- Visit a general Physician
- Get a diagnostic test done, if advised by the physician
- Avoid close contact with any humans or animals even if you are doubtful about your health situation.
- Follow isolation and revisit a physician only if necessary
- If tested positive, apart from the treatment procedures, also contact your health insurance provider to save yourself from the financial shock that any medical treatment brings in