Medical cards and medical insurances are necessary because all services cannot be offered by a government hospital. Government hospitals can offer emergency and essential medical care but usually there is a long waiting list. Possession of a medical card will be able to give you more choices. A medical card can help you prepare for these costly expenses and ensures comprehensive coverage in medical, surgical and hospital costs, ambulance fees and other related medical charges.
Things to Look Out For When Buying Medical Cards
Exclusions Many medical cards do not pay for many chronic diseases in the first year and many cards do not pay for pre-existing medical conditions. Most cards only provide in-patient services and exclude outpatient services.
Guaranteed Renewal Some medical cards are yearly renewable, while others normally offer guaranteed renewal up to a lifetime limit.
Co-Insurance Some medical cards also practise co-insurance, meaning that you'll have to pay a certain amount of the medical fees, normally at 10% - 20% of the total medical fees incurred, while the balance will be paid by the insurance company.
Cashless There are also some medical cards which are cashless medical cards. As a policyholder of this kind of cashless medical cards, just present the card at any participating hospital to facilitate your hospital admission. You do not need to worry about preparing and submitting claims as all expenses under the medical card will be paid directly to the hospitals. However, this kind of medical cards are becoming less available due to misuse and very high claim rate.
Participating Hospitals Depending on the insurance companies, the number of participating hospitals varies. Choosing a medical card with more participating hospitals benefits you better, as you will have more choices in time of emergency.
