In a democratic nation that is run on a capitalistic economy we must all have health insurance to pay for the exceedingly high costs of health care. Some of the simplest procedures can empty your wallet, not to mention what a serious health issue could do to your bank account, and even your available credit. With medical insurance you have the option of paying for a coverage that can pay for almost all medical costs (for the very wealthy) to coverage that is very weak, and does not cover most medical expenses (for the poor, or the cheap).
Health insurance will enable you to get correct & sufficient medical treatment. Your health insurance will look after the expenses of your regular check ups, visits to doctors, specialists if needed, hospitalization expenses & emergency calls. In case of tests like X- ray, MRI or any therapy, the health insurance will reimburse these expenses at prescribed rates. In a few cases you may get cent per cent reimbursement, but in most of the cases you have to shell out a small fraction of amount & the rest of it is covered by insurance.
Most medical insurance coverage requires you to pay a deductible for any type of doctor, hospital, or specialists visits. Over the course of a year you must pay towards the deductible with any medical visit, and once that has been paid then you will be fully covered without any further financial responsibility for the visits. Of course, this will all depend on the coverage that an individual?s plan will cover, as each one is unique and different.
You have to be careful to see whether your policy covers the follow up treatment/therapy after surgery. You have to get confirmation from the representative of insurance company or you have to read the policy terms thoroughly beforehand. Otherwise you will have to bear those expenses fully which are not covered under the policy.
Health insurance policies generally do not cover the expenses for the unwarranted surgeries like donation of kidney or bone marrow, cosmetic surgeries for hair transplant, face lift, liposuction, changing of shape/size of nose, boob jobs etc.
The validity of your medical coverage is till you undergo your surgery. After surgery if the doctors ask you to stay for another day checkup which has some good medical reason, then it would also be covered under medical insurance. In cases where you stay in the hospital for your better satisfaction and for some guidance from your doctor, then you have to beat these charges.
It is also good to tell your doctor about the insurance plan you have so they will know about the regulations of your insurance company. This can help you and your doctor know regarding the scope of coverage and length of stay for you in the hospital.
Susan Reynolds is the content coordinator for a leading South African Insurance Provider who specialises in Medical Insurance Options.