How To Choose The Best Health Insurance Plans For Parents

By Author: Dipti Goel
Total Articles: 4

The costs of medical care are increasing exponentially day by day. At the same time, life expectancy is also on a rise. In all, the cost of medical care is enormous and rising at older ages where medical attention is very frequent. Thus, getting health insurance for parents is vital to secure a comfortable and carefree old age for them. However, finding the best health insurance plans for them can be tricky and involves a lot of reading into the fine print and other research. Hence, here we attempt to provide a general guide on purchasing health insurance for parents.

1. Consider the entry age carefully
Many health insurance companies, often from the public sector, have specially crafted policies for senior citizens. In these kinds of policies, often the entry age requirement falls in the 60-80 years range. So in case your parents have crossed 60 and do not have health insurance, these schemes work perfectly. In case your parents have not yet crossed the 60 years line, there are still many insurance companies that do not have a standard entry age guideline. Basically, when it comes to selecting an appropriate health insurance scheme for your parents, the entry age requirement is the first thing you can use to filter the many offerings by different companies. Additionally, also make sure to take note of the maximum renewal age limit for the scheme you choose.

2. Look into the illnesses covered
It is important that your selected scheme for your parents cover as many as possible number of illnesses. Pre-existing conditions coverage becomes very important when selecting a health insurance policy for senior citizens. Make sure that common family medical issues like diabetes, cancer, etc. are covered thoroughly.

3. Look at co-payment terms
Co-payment basically means that a specific percentage of the claim is to be paid by the insured person. This is common in health insurance policies for senior citizens and very few exist without this clause. However, because of this same clause premiums come down to very low amounts. Different companies have varying ratios of co-payment percentage to premium. Do not opt for very high co-payment to seek low premiums. But do not go for low co-payments and high premiums as well. Look around and find the perfect balance between the two that best suits yours and your parent's needs.

4. Check up on hospital coverage and cashless claims
Senior citizens may find themselves in the need of hospitalisation at varying instances. These critical situations can arise anywhere and anytime with little to no warning. Thus, it is important to always be prepared. For this, make sure the policy you select for your parents has a good and expansive network of hospitals. Always make sure that at least one of their network hospitals is nearby and easily accessible in case of emergencies. Additionally, opt for cashless claims; this will save a lot of hassle.

These are the major 4 things to keep in mind when looking up health insurance schemes for your parents or senior citizens. However, everyone has a wide spectrum of needs and can vary drastically to what they are looking for. Do as much research as possible to find the perfect available health insurance for your parents to provide them with a healthy senior life with little worry.