Modern-day lifestyle coupled with unhealthy eating habits and stress can lead to several physiological problems, especially with your digestive system. Gastric issues have, thus, become common among many. According to the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, India, the burden of inflammatory bowel diseases is the highest in India. One such inflammatory bowel disease is ulcerative colitis which also afflicts many. A 2017 study also pointed out that more than 1.1 million Indians suffered from ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is an illness that causes ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract. It affects the interior lining of your rectum and colon and its effects develop over a period of time, not instantaneously.
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include rectal pain, diarrhoea with pus and blood, rectal bleeding, fatigue, etc. It is a debilitating illness which might become severe over time. You need medical attention and medication to treat the condition and in severe cases.
Managing ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is not a fatal illness. However, persistent problems can cause complications and even turn life-threatening in severe cases. That is why managing the illness is important.
Consult a doctor when you experience symptoms of the ailment. The doctor might prescribe diagnostic tests and medicines that would help you deal with the condition.
To meet the financial costs of treating ulcerative colitis; a health insurance plan can be considered. In the case of severe complications resulting in hospitalisation, the health insurance plan would meet your medical bills and bring financial relief.
Health insurance for ulcerative colitis
Health insurance plans provide coverage for ulcerative colitis whether it is pre-existing or not. In the case of a pre-existing condition, there is just a waiting period prescribed under the plan. Coverage is not allowed during this waiting period. However, once the period is over; coverage is allowed for the complications that you might suffer due to ulcerative colitis.
In case you have a health insurance plan and you develop the ailment. You can enjoy coverage right from the time you develop the ailment. There would be a waiting period for the illness. This waiting period, however, would be applicable only to the increased amount of the sum insured. You can avail yourself of coverage up to the existing sum insured for the treatment.
For instance, say you have a sum insured of Rs.5 lakhs in an existing health plan and you suffer from ulcerative colitis. Thereafter, on renewal, you increase the sum insured to Rs.8 lakhs. The waiting period in the policy is 48 months. In this case; it would be treated as a pre-existing condition for the increased amount of Rs.3 lakhs. For this amount, the waiting period of 24-48 months would apply, depending on the policy.
Aspects of health insurance coverage for ulcerative colitis
If you have ulcerative colitis, you can buy a health insurance policy. However, here are some aspects of the coverage that you should know –
- Always declare the illness when buying the plan. This would prevent claim rejection on grounds of non-disclosure or misrepresentation.
- The premium might be a bit higher due to your illness
- Check the waiting period. Opt for a plan with a lower period so that your illness gets covered at the earliest.
- Plans with OPD coverage would be a better fit. They would cover doctor visitations, medicines and also diagnostic tests. Some plans allow OPD coverage as an inbuilt feature while others offer it on an optional basis. Pick either for a comprehensive cover.
- If you have a group cover, it would be covered without any waiting period. However, the policy might not allow sufficient coverage. It would also be limited to your being a member of the group. So, opt for a personal health plan too for an all-around coverage which is also lifelong renewable.
The final word
Ulcerative colitis, though physiologically challenging, can be managed with proper care and treatments. To manage the ailment’s financial aspects, you can opt for a personal health insurance plan. Choose a plan after checking its coverage features. The waiting period so that the medical bills incurred in managing ulcerative colitis or any other gastric ailment can be met.