With the rapid advancement of technology, a health insurance plan is no longer limited to receiving healthcare physically alone. Telemedicine consultation has gained popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, when it became important to deliver healthcare through newer methods.
Through telemedicine consultation remote healthcare services became accessible to patients from various demographics. This resulted in overall better medical care for such remotely-located patients.
To understand what tele health insurance is, you have to first know about telemedicine and its scope in India. The following article discusses how telemedicine has impacted health policy in our country, giving rise to the need for this health plan.
Understanding Telemedicine
Telemedicine refers to using technology, like remote monitoring, mobile health applications and video conferencing, for remote delivery of healthcare services. Consequently, patients can avail of medical care without leaving their homes, thereby lowering the need for visiting clinics and hospitals physically.
This change has affected the landscape of medical insurance in India, whether you opt for online health insurance for your family or purchase a health policy through the traditional method.
What Does Tele Health Insurance Mean?
In June 2020, the IRDAI issued specific guidelines to all health insurance providers to ensure that telemedicine coverage is part of their insurance policies, provided the health policy terms and conditions cover consultation with medical practitioners.
This implies that if your health policy comes with the add-on or benefit of OPD consultation, your insurer will provide coverage for such telemedicine consultation.
You are eligible to make telemedicine claims if you have added OPD add-on cover to the following health plan types:
- Individual Health Plans
- Health Plans for the Family
- Senior Citizen Health Plan
Benefits of Tele Health Insurance
Here are some important benefits of this virtual health insurance that you can enjoy as a policyholder.
Better Healthcare Accessibility
In India, where the infrastructure for healthcare is mostly available in urban areas, the availability of telemedicine allows individuals residing in underserved or remote areas to get access to quality medical expertise without leaving their homes.
Therefore, policyholders owning insurance from reputed insurers like TATA AIG can make use of telehealth health insurance to reach out to doctors in any part of the country for convenient and timely availability of healthcare services.
Well-planned Treatment and Diagnosis
With the help of video consultations, doctors can examine their patients and review their medical records to provide correct diagnoses. Telehealth platforms give doctors the advantage of diagnosing and treating different medical conditions remotely.
Policyholders can use e-prescriptions to purchase their medicines from local pharmacies without having to physically visit doctors for prescriptions.
Affordable Healthcare Delivery
In traditional medical consultations, apart from the doctor’s fees, other miscellaneous costs are involved, such as waiting room fees, travel expenses, etc. Telemedicine eliminates these unnecessary costs to make healthcare more cost-effective for policyholders.
Moreover, telemedical insurance enables policyholders to obtain compensation for the expenses incurred by video consulting doctors.
Continuation of Healthcare
Individuals requiring follow-up consultations or undergoing continuous medical supervision can easily use virtual platforms to communicate with their healthcare providers. In telemedicine, policyholders from any part of the country can continue to receive treatment without their location being a hurdle in their medical care.
Digital Health-related Records
Digitised health records play an important role in telemedicine consultations because they provide necessary information to the doctors for personalised treatment plans and accurate diagnoses. Many telemedicine platforms provide systems for maintaining the digital health records of policyholders, which helps them to safely store and access their health records through the online platform.
Digitised health records enable policyholders to easily retrieve their medical history, prescriptions and test results from a single place.
Preventive Care
Telemedicine allows policyholders to manage their overall health in a proactive way, and receive guidance on lifestyle choices that are healthy. Telemedicine consultation is not just about reactive medical care services; it extends to preventive care and overall wellness.
With this healthcare approach, policyholders can ensure their well-being is maintained and prevent the onset of long-term health-related issues.
Conclusion
E-consultations and telemedicine are radically changing how healthcare services are experienced and delivered. The inclusion of telemedicine in health insurance has made it possible for policyholders to receive financial coverage for efficient virtual medical care.
By increasing healthcare access, lowering healthcare expenses, and enhancing the quality of medical care, tele medical insurance can significantly impact the well-being of Indians.
Comments are closed.