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Health insurance guide for HIV positive person

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Health insurance guide for HIV positive person
March 18, 2019

Table of Content

 

These days, the menace of the dreaded HIV has become quite rampant. HIV or Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus is a deadly virus that infects the body’s immune system in an adverse manner and cripples the antibody and the related immune system to such an extent that the body becomes a victim to several diseases and disorders. The advanced stage of such an infection comes if the patient is left untreated. This advanced stage of this infection is known as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). This is a condition when the body risks falling victim to a host of diseases and disorders. The causes are quite numerous, with the predominant ones being sexually transmitted infections, spreading of the virus from a mother to a child, usage of infected needles, drug abuse and other blood or body-fluid channels. For the unfortunate victim of this condition, socially being dubbed as an outcast is as harsh a reality as is the fact that the treatment involved in extremely intensive and costly.

Generally in India, as elsewhere, health insurance providers did not have a proper framework in place for an HIV-positive person. This is because HIV infection is generally treated as a pre-existing condition and therefore, the insurers did not even offer any coverage to the patients. However, with the advent of latest technological advances and the latest therapies, the longevity of such patients has increased and through proper and elaborate procedures, HIV-positive persons can expect to live a normal life. Here are certain pointers regarding the health insurance guide for HIV positive persons in India:

  1. The insurers provide coverage only to such persons who are already suffering from HIV. In case of the detection of this dreaded disease after a certain period (generally 90 days after the inception of the policy), the coverage ceases to exist and the benefits are withdrawn.
  2. The applicant must be a sponsored one i.e. the application must be substantiated through the governmental or NGO-backed channels.
  3. The insurance providers are bound by law to include a mandatory clause of complete confidentiality and as such, the applicant’s name and personal details cannot be disclosed during or after the tenure of the plan.
  4. Although the costs involved in the actual treatment of HIV are not borne by the insurer, relief comes in the way of coverage of tests and medical procedures in case of AIDS detection and subsequent treatment.
  5. These plans do not offer any coverage for any other pre-existing conditions, apart from HIV. Therefore, any additional pre-existing health conditions cannot be covered under such plans.

HDFC Life offers various health insurance plans that seek to safeguard your financial reserves in case of any unwanted health-related contingency. For details, click on the mentioned link: https://www.hdfclife.com/health-insurance-plans.

Why Do People Who Are HIV Positive Require Health Insurance?

Individuals who have AIDS are susceptible to contracting any number of other diseases. While those with a healthy immune response can fight off most infections, people who are HIV positive often struggle to recover from similar illnesses. A few decades ago, people with AIDS had little hope of survival. Today, there are several treatments and medicines that enable these individuals to enjoy fairly long and happy lives. Unfortunately, these treatments and medicines come at a high cost. So, individuals who have AIDS or are HIV positive must purchase health insurance. Insurers who provide health insurance for HIV patients often provide enough coverage for new treatments to give policyholders the best chance at survival.

What Are the Challenges People Face While Providing Health Insurance for HIV Patients?

The HIV virus targets the body’s immune system, making it difficult for these individuals to fight infections. A damaged immune system could mean quicker deaths for people living with AIDS. Unfortunately, most insurance providers consider these individuals as a risk so they would exclude HIV or AIDS treatments from their coverage. In 2013, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) instructed insurers to offer some kind of health coverage to those with weakened immune systems. While insurance companies today have some policies, there is still some work that needs to be done to ensure these individuals get the coverage they need at affordable prices.

How to Buy Health Insurance for HIV Patients

The health insurance purchasing process is similar for all people. Individuals must find an insurance provider who offers they coverage they need and fill out an application either on the insurer’s website or by getting in touch with an agent. Next, they must provide details on their health conditions and medical history. Individuals who are HIV positive may have to undergo a few additional tests before their application gets approved. Most policies will cover treatments for AIDS only after a specific waiting period, so it’s ideal to purchase health insurance as early as possible.

Benefits of Health Plans

Purchasing health insurance comes with several benefits. Let’s take a look at what they are:

  • Coverage for Essential Medical Expenses

    An accident or illness may require emergency hospitalisation and treatment. Treatment at a good hospital today can get expensive, which can put a significant strain on your finances. With a health insurance policy, you don’t have to worry about your medical bills. Your insurance provider will help you take care of them so that you can focus on recovery.

  • Cashless Claims

    For a seamless claims process, you can opt to get treatment in a network hospital. Here, the hospital will send your insurer the bill and they will settle the cost of covered treatments directly. You only have to pay for your deductibles and other non-covered expenses, your insurance provider takes care of everything else.

  • Preventive Care

    Many insurers today offer annual check-ups or preventive tests to help you stay healthy and fit.

Conclusion

Everybody today should have access to quality healthcare. By offering health insurance for HIV patients, Indian insurers are moving towards insurance equity. Health insurance helps individuals maintain their financial health while looking after their physical health.

ARN – ED/01/22/27074

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Francis Rodrigues Francis Rodrigues

Francis Rodrigues has a decade long experience in the insurance sector, and as SVP, E-Commerce and Digital Marketing, HDFC Life, manages the online sales channel, as well as digital and performance marketing. He has had hands-on experience in setting up sales channels and functional teams from scratch over a career spanning 2 decades.

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Vishal Subharwal Vishal Subharwal

Vishal Subharwal heads the Strategy, Marketing, E-Commerce, Digital Business & Sustainability initiatives at HDFC Life. He is responsible for crafting and ensuring successful implementation of the overall organisation strategy.

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