An ailment can have far reaching effects on the health of a person. At such times, quality medical care is extremely essential to make a full recovery. With quality treatment at health care institutes come hospital bills which may not be within everyone’s financial capacity. At times, the paucity of adequate available finances can be a limiting factor to get sufficient medical care and can also prove fatal. With the increasing cost of health care, it is wiser to buy a health policy in India, so that sudden expenditure during medical exigency does not cause panic and stress.
When looking for a best health insurance policy, it would be beneficial to buy a comprehensive health insurance cover as it offers extensive coverage. Such a health cover cuts out the hassles of arranging for finances during a medical emergency and also ensures optimal treatment for your family. The ICICI Lombard Complete Health Insurance by ICICI Lombard for example may be a good option to consider when buying health policy in India. As there is no age limit, any person is eligible to take this policy. Not only that, persons below 46 years of age desirous of purchasing this policy may not need to undergo any medical tests. For those above 46 years, the policy may be purchased easily by undergoing a medical test at any of the designated test centers recognized by the insurer.
One of the biggest advantages of this compressive health cover is the cashless claims feature. As the insurance company has a tie up with premium health care providers across the country, availing the best possible medical treatment is well within the insured’s reach. All medical expenses during such emergency hospitalisation are handled by the insurance provider. Such a health policy in India eliminates the need to arrange for money on a short notice and allows you to focus better on the well-being of your ailing family member.
With the floater benefit, the health insurance may extends coverage to your entire family, depending on policy terms and conditions. With the payment of a single premium, the benefits of the sum insured can be enjoyed by any insured family member. As you may not need to keep a track of different renewal dates, managing such a health policy is extremely convenient.

High energy drinks to hydrate, satiate, and boost energy

Consumers these days are reaching out for more and more ready-to-consume and healthy beverages than ever before. They are reaching out for drinks with less sugar and calories and organic super-drinks, which are season-neutral.

What Are Hyper Functional Beverages?

Hyper Functional Beverages are non-alcoholic drinks that keep body hydrated and provide overall nutritional wellness. These fortified drinks prevent or help address health issues across all age groups. The fortification could be herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, probiotics, anti-oxidants, fruits, vegetables, and extracts that helps to maintain balance and boost immunity.

Types of Hyper Functional Beverages

Hyper functional beverages can be categorised based on their type into energy drinks, sports drinks, nutraceutical drinks, dairy-based beverages, juices, enhanced water, and others. Energy and sports drinks account for the most of these beverages but consumption of protein drinks is gradually on the rise.
Cultural focus on protein, wellness, and natural drinks are all driving innovation in the field of hyper functional beverages. A new class of ultra-healthy beverages like vitamin-dusted waters is trending that include inventive health concepts like green-tea extracts, apple cider vinegar, medicinal mushroom etc.

Benefits and Wellness Trends

Hyper functional beverages provide immediate energy boost, which makes you feel ready for the day, or helps you get over with the dull period at work. Consumers are increasingly discerning and want better results without putting in appropriate efforts.
Increasing numbers of children and adults are regularly consuming energy drinks to get relief from fatigue and improve mental alertness. The future of the hyper-functional beverages is to make every calorie and ingredient count towards its purpose and function.
Tea is the most consumed beverage all over the world. There are many variants in organic green tea, which are also ready-to-drink. It has ingredients, which are bioactive. Flavonoids in tea also have cardiovascular and metabolic benefits.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) and turmeric have been a predominant staple for both dietary and supplement usage. They have high phenols such as Gallic acid, Catechin, and Caffeic acid, which protect the gut by quenching free radical damage and reduce inflammation.

Hyper Functional Beverage Industry

The Hyper-functional beverage industry includes a wide range of beverages targeting different health-related concerns apart from hydrating, satiating, and boosting energy. These hyper-functional beverages include performance drinks, fruit drinks, soy drinks etc., which claim to improve immunity, digestion, memory aides and even heart health.
The functional beverage industry in India has to compete with traditional and homemade drinks. It is an established fact that herbal and natural extracts have a great impact on the overall well-being along with appearance and attitude. Plant and Fibrous protein are replacing traditional protein shakes and powders.

6 reasons why following a vegan diet is good for your health

A vegan lifestyle offers many benefits, besides the animal rights and non-violence aspects that most people opt it for. Aside from the obvious environmental benefits of the lifestyle, it has many health benefits as well. Here are the top 6 health benefits of going vegan. Take a look:

Weight Management

Meat, animal fats and proteins contain lot of calories. But when you follow a vegan diet, there is no intake of these products. Therefore, it becomes easier to stay fit and slim. Moreover, there is also a greater intake of plant-based products that have a higher anti-oxidant content, leading to better metabolism and eventual weight reduction.

More Nutritious

Vegan diets usually emphasize on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and unprocessed foods that are closer to their natural state, more than processed foods of any kind. This gives your body access to a lot of the vitamins and minerals that it needs, thereby providing it with more nutrition.

Increases Energy

Thanks to the lack of saturated fatty acids and animal dairy products in their diet, vegans have a good deal more energy than followers of a western diet, and even vegetarians. Such foods, particularly foods with processed sugar, make you feel tired and lazy and are a big no-no for vegans.

Prevents Heart Disease

Vegan sources of fat come from nuts and other vegetables and are healthier than the fat sources from animal products, since they contain lesser bad cholesterol. Thus, a vegan diet reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in your system, thereby significantly reducing the chances of a heart attack. Moreover, it also reduces blood pressure and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Boosts Immunity and Prevents Chances of Cancer

The focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, that is a major part of a vegan diet, helps to add essential vitamins and minerals that boosts immunity and keeps your system alkaline. The antioxidants that are added to your system through a vegan diet also help fight diseases.
Moreover, since there is no intake of meat – particularly red meat – that has been proven to cause certain types of cancer, a vegan diet comes with low cancer risk.

It is crucial to renew the health insurance plan in time. Experts usually recommend that one should renew the plan at least 15 days prior to the due date. This is to ensure you don't lose the added benefits that usually come from policy continuation.
Insurance companies generally send notices as reminder for renewing insurance policies. However, it is definitely your duty to remember the dates. It is good to set a reminder on your mobile phone or get personal notices through secretaries.
The best way to remember the renewal date is to record it with other important dates such as anniversaries, birthdays, etc. You can record renewal dates along with these important dates of your life.
Not renewing health insurance on time may result in complications. Here is an example of problems faced by insurance buyers
Imagine this – Mr. Shah's mother suffers a heart attack. She needs emergency hospitalization. Luckily she has been insured under a health insurance India policy. Mr. Shah went ahead to file claims with the health insurance company.
The Problem – Mr. Shah knows that the health insurance India policy had long lapsed. He didn't renew it! As a result, Mr. Shah had to pay the hospital expenses from his own pocket.
From that day onwards, Mr. Shah resolved to keep a record of health insurance renewal India dates. And since then, he had never failed on renewing the policy.
In India, it is important to renew health insurance policy on time. In fact, it is as important as buying an insurance plan and paying premiums for it. Upon failure of renewing an insurance plan, you may have to face embarrassment during filing the claim. The situation may be similar to what Mr. Shah faced in the above example.

Dangers of NOT Renewing Health Insurance Plan

Insurance Premium Increase

In the event where your existing health insurance plan lapses and you opt for a new policy, you may require paying out more premium amount for the brand new plan.

Pre-existing Disease

It is important to be punctual about your health insurance renewal India for pre-existing disease. Missing renewal date will keep you from covering the illness for the new policy and your previous claim will be categorized as ‘pre-existing disease/illness’.

Cover

In case, you have covered a pre-existing disease in your health insurance policy but haven't made claim, then you are entitled to get a cover for the 'pre-existing disease' in that health insurance plan subsequent to 'claim-free' 4 years. The term period (4 years) start from the policy commencement date. This is possible only if you focus on renewing your plan on time. You need to renew the plan every year. In the event where the policy lapses, the new health plan you invest in will demand another 4 years (claim free) prior to covering the pre-existing disease.

Bonus

The health insurance company will reward you a bonus of about 10 per cent for each claim free year. The claim free year is a period of 12 months during which you don't claim any money. The bonus is added to the cover amount depending on a limit of 50 per cent. Once you complete 4 claim-free renewals (consistently), you are entitled to get a free medical check-up. This is up to 1 per cent of sum insured (on 5th renewal). However, if you ignore renewal of policy, you will miss the above mentioned benefits too.

Review

Renewing the health insurance policy is the best way to review your plan. It helps you know about the present condition of your policy, the features offered, premium charges, and much more. There may be chances to change the plan completely after speaking to the company representatives in case; you are not satisfied by the policy. You may even add certain cover facilities when renewing the plan. This depends on the policy of the company.

Waiting Period

Health insurance policies do not allow for claims during the first thirty days. This is especially in case of non-renewal of policy in time. The same goes in case the buyer decides to change the insurance company. With each change of company and delay in renewal of insurance plan, the waiting period of 'thirty' days also starts afresh. Hence, it is vital to renew health insurance plan without delay each year. With a break in the health policy, one may lose out on a number of benefits that may be acquired over a period of time.

How to go about health insurance renewal India?

Buying a health insurance policy is not enough. Almost all insurance plans have an end term after which the buyer must renew it. Hence, apart from buying the health insurance policy, it is crucial to renew it from time to time. The best thing to do is renew the plan prior to the expiry date each year in order to get maximum benefits of a health policy.
Some insurance providers may allow grace period of certain days after date of expiry for renewing. However, one needs to renew the plan ideally 10 to 15 days prior to the date of expiry. This ensures one does not lose the continuity benefit that is offered by the insurance company along with a health insurance policy.

You must have experienced the thumping of your heart, increased breathing, and an adrenaline rush that makes you feel alive when you are out for a run, jog, or even brisk walk.
These activities have been proven to not only keep your body fit and healthy but also affect the brain with the release of endorphins - the feel-good chemicals that counteract physical discomfort your body experiences due to a strenuous activity. These endorphins are natural anti-depressants and keep you away from the blues.
Recently, with enhanced awareness towards wellness, there has been an increase in activities such as walkathons, marathons, cyclothons and yoga camps being organised on a large scale. In India alone, more than 190 marathon runs are to be organised between July 26, 2016 and March 26, 2017.
Marathon organisers focus on creating a health buzz and raising awareness in the society through NGOs, sponsors and media. Thus, as mass events like these attract thousands of professionals and amateurs, the proceeds from the participation and charity, which are often in crores depending on the scale, are used for social causes.

Busting Common Running Myths

Myth #1: Stretch before you start

Static stretching, that is holding a stretch for some time, is not always the ideal way to start a run. It could make your muscles sore and taut, especially if you have had no recent physical activity.

Lesser-known Facts about Marathons

Origin
• In 490 B.C., when the Greeks achieved victory over Persians in the Battle of Marathon, a soldier named Pheidippides was believed to be sent as a messenger to deliver the news. He is fabled to have run about 40 km and addressed the assembly in Athens with the news before collapsing due to exhaustion and dying. Distances

• A full marathon is 42.195 km long, and often half marathons - 21K, 10K, 5K, 3K, and 2K are organised in parallel to suit varied runners.
The best way to start is a warm-up with brisk walking, climbing stairs, or slow jogging. Static stretching should be carried out after your workout session.

Myth #2: Take no breaks in a week

Experts recommend no-run days to help relax muscles and avoid a burnout. For beginners, it is also advisable to start slow and extend the time and length of run gradually while resting adequately in between.

Myth #3: Running is painful

Running pushes your body to its physical limits. But, it does not mean running has to be painful for your feet. You must never ignore a minor injury while running and get your feet and gait checked by professionals to avoid further damage.

Myth #4: No lifestyle change is required

If you are planning to incorporate a running schedule, you need to make major lifestyle changes. It includes the food you eat everyday, which should be balanced and well cooked, investing in good quality workout apparel and pair of shoes, and parting ways with unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking.

Myth #5: Follow a fixed routine

Running a marathon requires discipline, hard work, and proper training. However, a fixed routine can soon bore you out. To avoid such a slump, mix up your workouts with strength training and cardio to increase your core strength. You can also seek professional guidance to chalk out a weekly workout and diet schedule to keep things interesting.

Dos and Don'ts for Marathons Runners

If you have been training for a while or are a seasoned marathoner, you must abide by the following dos and don’ts for a marathon run:

Before a Marathon

Do
• Learn about the track you will be running and weather conditions
• Maintain your routine; this includes waking up the exact time you would for the marathon day, eating the same food and practising your run
• Practice long runs or even over-distance runs to train your mind and body a month before. Taper down the intensity of your runs a week prior to the big day
• Relax before the race
• Lubricate your skin that is prone to chafing, on the race day
Don't
• Experiment with a new diet or essentials like shoes the day before
• Load up on carbs
• Drink too much water
• Ignore any aches or pains

During Marathon

Do
• Have a time goal in mind
• Enjoy the course
• Maintain a steady pace
• Stop for bathroom breaks
• Have a disposable water bottle handy
Don't
• Be de-motivated
• Consume energy bars until you absolutely feel the need to
• Run too fast
• Hesitate to ask for help if you are not feeling well

After Marathon

Do
• Change your clothes
• Grab a healthy bite
• Replenish the electrolyte balance of your body
• Give time for your muscles to heal, do light jogs and backward walks for the next week
Don't
• Stop running abruptly or sit down as it may cause cramps
• Consume a heavy lunch
• Get a massage until your muscles are healed
• Forget to collect your medal(s)
• Worry if you didn’t meet your goal

Plan more trips for better health

The daily hustle and bustle can leave even the best of us feeling drained and empty. Increased stress is a potent contributor to many lifestyle diseases and is the leading cause of burnout.
Travel can be your saviour. Various research and studies show that a timely holiday can benefit your health in more ways than one. It is about time we think them more as health regime than a luxury of time. Here are some health advantages of travelling.

Stronger Immunity

When travelling, our bodies are exposed to various antibodies. Antibodies are a large Y-shaped protein that are utilised by our immune system to identify and neutralise bacteria and viruses. Exposure to different bacteria overtime strengthens your gut and body thus improving your immunity to take a better load.

Decreases Stress

Travel increases happiness and reduces the symptoms of depression. Even a three-day break can work wonders for your health. It takes you away from the nasty reminder of deadlines and lowers your overall stress level.
The effects of a vacation last even after the trip has ended. The release of stress hormones also triggers happiness and a feeling of well-being.

Makes You Active

Travelling pulls us out of our sedentary lifestyle. It is an opportunity to escape and incorporate an active routine that is different from your desk based job back home. Walking and visiting places to sightsee forces you to get off your feet.

Feel Recharged

A travel is as close to hitting the reset button. Travelling to unknown places and connecting with new people allow you a tremendous amount of growth and introspection. It gives you a fresh perspective on life and makes you more compassionate to empathise. This refreshed mental state is ripe with creative ideas for efficient productivity.

Boost Brain Power

When travelling, you are constantly learning and stretching your cognitive abilities. It makes your mind sharper as you are required to be flexible and learn a new culture and their language. Additionally, people who love to travel are known to be open and emotionally stable compared to their counterparts.

With the rise in health-related problems in India, treatment costs have increased sharply. This has led to a higher demand for health insurance plans as they offer financial security during medical emergencies.

In the face of adversity, health insurance plans give access to quality healthcare facilities while reducing the financial burden. Selecting the right insurance plan can be difficult due to the different types of health insurance plans available in India.

Types of Health Insurance Plans in India

We will discuss here three different health insurance and types.

1.    Individual Health Insurance

• Individual health insurance is designed for a single person, providing coverage for medical expenses and illness-related costs.
• This plan, purchased by a single individual, reimburses expenses for hospitalisation, surgery and pre/post-medication until reaching the insured limit.
• Covering hospitalisation, surgical procedures and medication costs, individual health insurance caters to the medical needs of a single person.

2.    Family Health Insurance

• Known as the Family Floater Plan, it provides comprehensive coverage for an entire family.
• All family members, including the spouse, kids and elders, are covered under this health insurance policy.
• Only one family member needs to pay the premium, ensuring the whole family is insured with a single payment.
• The premium calculation considers the age of the eldest family member in the coverage.
• When multiple family members require simultaneous treatment, insurance claims are applicable for everyone until the coverage limit is exhausted.
• To prevent an impact on the premium, it is advisable to exclude family members above 60 years from the coverage.

3.    Critical Illness Insurance

• This insurance plan ensures a lump sum payout for major illnesses.
• During the policy acquisition, the policyholder selects the critical health issues covered.
• The policyholder becomes eligible to claim if they are diagnosed with any of the predetermined conditions.
• Filing a claim does not necessitate hospitalisation in this insurance type.
• Benefits are activated solely by the diagnosis of the critical illness.
• The fixed payout is unaffected by both pre- and post-hospitalisation costs.

Conclusion

With the continuously increasing expenses associated with medical treatments, people now find it imperative to invest in health insurance policies, ensuring coverage for both themselves and their family members. Hence, buyers must spend time and effort to educate themselves about different kinds of health insurance policies.

PMPM stands for “per member per month”. PMPM in healthcare  is a type of cost that represents the amount paid or received monthly for each individual enrolled in a managed care plan, often called capitation. It is the average cost or revenue generated per individual enrolled in a health plan within a month. Let’s understand this term a bit better in the next section.

PMPM Cost In Health Insurance

PMPM represents the true cost for payers. PMPM Cost plays an important role in health insurance in the following ways :

• Useful for Cost analysis by dividing the total cost or spending on healthcare services for a specific group by the number of members.

• Helps in financial budgeting and planning. It helps estimate future costs based on historical data and can assist in financial planning for healthcare services.

It is a performance indicator that evaluates the efficiency of healthcare programs.

The formula for calculating PMPM is straightforward:

PMPM = Total Number of Members / Total Cost of Spending × Time Period

Organisations can use the PMPM formula to know the average healthcare costs incurred per member within a specific timeline. It helps in cost analysis, financial planning, and performance evaluation within the health insurance industry.

However, there are a few issues that can arise with the PMPM cost:

• Risk select bias
• Limited information
• Variations in population demographics
• Time frame sensitivity
• Inclusion of non-medical costs

To help with these issues, healthcare organisations often use different methods. It includes additional metrics, risk adjustment methodologies, and more detailed analyses to manage PMPM pricing.

Conclusion

The PMPM healthcare method is often preferred by individuals with many members in their team. A good PMPM should be transparent, with claim-level accountability and a proper target for all claims.

One term that often confuses people in health insurance is “out-of-network”. An out-of-network provider is any healthcare provider or hospital that has yet to sign a contract with your insurance company agreeing to the discounted rates of the insurance agreement. We’ll help you understand this concept a bit better in the next section.

What Does Out-Of-Network Mean In Health Insurance 

Let us first understand the meaning of in-network providers before we understand out-of-network providers. An in-network healthcare provider is one that has agreed to accept discounted rates from your insurance company. Let’s say a healthcare provider charges you ₹5000 for a certain treatment, but your plan only covers ₹4500. An in-network healthcare provider is not allowed to bill you for the difference. Now, you may be wondering, “What if my doctor is out of network?” If your plan covers out-of-network care, the insurer may pay some amount of the bills, but you'll still be responsible for paying the rest. And if your plan doesn't cover out-of-network care or you haven't met your out-of-network cost-sharing, you'll have to pay the entire amount.

In certain situations, choosing an out-of-network healthcare provider is necessary and smart, even if it initially costs more. However, in certain conditions, an in-network provider is necessary, especially in cases of emergency. In such urgent conditions, your insurance plan will cover the expenses the same as for in-network healthcare.

Facing a health concern can be a challenging experience for both the person undergoing treatment and their family. Health insurance provides some reassurance, but a denied claim can be stressful.

Health insurance claims may be rejected for various reasons. If denied, stay proactive. Explore appealing the decision and, if necessary, reapply after addressing initial rejection concerns.

Handling a Denied Medical Insurance Claim

Wondering what to do if health insurance denies claim? Refer to the below process for a clear picture on how to deal with it:

1.   Understand the Cause or Basis for Rejecting a Claim

• Your claim pertains to a disease or treatment not encompassed by the policy's coverage.
• The policy has lapsed or is no longer valid.
• Insufficient details in the application form hinder the support for your claim.
• Inadequate proof or essential documents have not been provided as stipulated.
• The claim is for an individual not included in the policy coverage.

2.   Amend and reapply as needed

• Make necessary changes and restart the claim process.
• Contact the insurance company to confirm adequacy of added details before resubmitting.

3.   Contact an Ombudsman for assistance

• Insurance Act, 1938, permits policyholders to approach Ombudsman for claim settlements, premium discrepancies, policy term violations, or unclear terms.
• Appointed by insurance companies, Ombudsman mediates for dispute resolution between policyholders and insurance companies.
• Verifies facts and issues fair recommendations.
• Keep relevant documents (bills, policy copies, payment receipts, KYC documents) to support the claim.

4.    Draft an appeal letter to address the insurance company.

• Craft a compelling appeal letter or email to address a rejected health insurance claim.
• Explain the reason for obtaining the insurance policy and the specific medical condition involved.
• Provide details about the recommended treatment plan from your healthcare professional.
• Include evidence such as medical prescriptions to support your case.
• Ensure the letter contains factual and necessary information.
• Write why you believe the insurance company should reconsider the appeal against the denied claim.

Medical emergency experienced by a family due to sudden health failure of a family member is likely to dent your savings when footing treatment bills. Such financially stressful situations can be tackled if all the family members are insured with a health insurance policy.
Procuring individual health insurance policies for family members can be cumbersome as you have to remember individual policy renewal and premium payment dates. To reduce all these hassles, ICICI Lombard offers a comprehensive cover with the family floater benefit. This policy is designed for safeguarding the health of your family with a large sum insured.
With the family floater feature of this policy, a total of 5 family members can be insured under a single health policy. This policy has a minimum entry age of 3 months which allows you to insure children as well adults. Sum insured offered by this family health plan can be shared between all the family members or can be used by one family member during a medical emergency till the policy period expires.
Premium medical aid may not be uniformly available or the health care facility in your locality may prove insufficient for treatment in case of sudden health complications. Such problems are taken care of by this comprehensive health insurance policy. ICICI Lombard has a tie-up with a wide network of hospitals all over India that offer premium medical care. Treatment at such a health care facility makes the insured individual eligible for cashless health insurance benefit. This feature offered by the health insurance policy offers relief from paying large hospitalisation bills.
The important cashless health insurance benefit of this plan greatly helps to diffuse financially stressful situations and offers quality medical treatment to the ailing individual. As all the medical bills and treatment costs are settled by the insurance provider, you do not have to worry about footing hospitalisation bills.
You can also extend the coverage of this policy by purchasing optional covers like the Critical Illness cover and Donor Expenses. With the Critical Illness cover, the insurance provider offers monetary aid if the insured individual is diagnosed with major illness and medical procedure covered under this policy. The Donor Expenses optional cover makes the insured individual eligible to receive reimbursement for an amount up to Rs. 50,000 during any organ transplant surgery.
All these medical benefits offered by the comprehensive health insurance plan help you to optimally safeguard your family’s health and offer quality medical aid during a medical emergency.

Critical illness insurance can prove to be a saviour when, often without prior warning, we are afflicted by a serious health condition. To tackle such circumstances that test our mental, emotional, and financial preparedness, prior thought and a wise investment in a good policy is the best decision we can make for ourselves and our family. Here are a few tips that will help you choose the correct plan to invest in.

What is a critical illness insurance?

Critical insurance covers pay you a lump-sum amount, free of taxes, in case you are diagnosed with any of the serious health complications within the ambit of your policy. Your policy may cover conditions such as cardiac arrest, stroke, several types of cancer, coma, multiple sclerosis, paralysis and kidney failure, to name a few.
Risk covers vary with the companies offering the policy. It is crucial to carefully consider the list of illnesses not covered in your policy before making the final decision to buy it.

Things to consider before buying a critical illness policy

Before buying critical illness insurance, it’s important to evaluate certain aspects to ensure you get the most suitable coverage. Here are the key things to consider:

1. Know why you are buying your policy. A critical illness plan can be utilised in paying off debts related to medical costs, making modifications to your home, and paying off a mortgage.
2. A policy will help you if you do not have enough savings to cover serious illnesses or if your employment benefit plan is not conducive towards providing you enough relief while you are sick.

Know the process of filing your claim. Learn what renewal benefits you will receive from your insurance company for the period of time when no claim is filed.

1. Read the policy in detail before buying, lest you miss any exclusions or other factors within it. Check what hospital network your insurance company endorses.
2. Consider factors such as costs of treatment, medicine and follow-up plans while deciding your sum insured. You have the choice of opting for either a stand-alone plan or just a rider. Stand-alone plans, although more expensive, will allow you a higher claim amount.
   
3. Careful consideration prior to buying an insurance will ensure that when the time comes, the cover yields optimal benefits to mitigate the situation at hand.

Hence, a health insurance policy is a valuable asset to have. In times of need, it can take care of all the medical expenses at hand, so that focus is kept on treatment rather than worrying about taking care of the bills piling up.

Can critical illness insurance replace health insurance?

While critical illness insurance offers useful financial support when it comes to serious health conditions, it cannot be used to replace your regular health insurance. Health insurance covers several medical expenses, including hospital stays, doctor visits, diagnostic tests and minor illnesses or injuries, which makes it an essential part of your healthcare planning.

Critical illness insurance is not a replacement but an added boost to the regular insurance policy. It covers costs that are sometimes left out by the policies, such as travel, for treatment or home care during prolonged illness. You should consult the insurance provider and come up with a way to use both policies together to ensure that you are secured whether it is a general health issue or a severe illness that requires long-term financial support.

Conclusion

Getting a critical illness insurance policy in addition to your regular health insurance plan is a simple step that proves beneficial in the time of need. It gives you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can cover the medical costs while focusing on recovering. By understanding the scope of coverage, waiting periods, the sum insured and the insurer’s reputation, you can make an informed decision that adds to your existing health insurance.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a certified medical and/or nutrition professional for any questions. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any effects or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.

The steady rise in the cost of health care facilities can make arrangement of funds difficult if you are not sufficiently prepared. The onus of settling these hospital bills will shift to your family members and may impact their savings. Therefore, there is a need to buy personal health insurance plan which will offer coverage for several hospitalisation costs and other related expenses.

Several important aspects must be carefully considered when purchasing personal health cover as the investment made towards the premium is a considerable sum. A comprehensive insurance is a good choice as it has a wider coverage range and will ultimately reduce your overall expenses during a medical crisis. Key aspects like medical expenses covered, premium payable, maximum sum insured and several other policy details must be looked into. A clear idea about all these essential factors will help you choose a good personal insurance plan to secure your health.

A comprehensive health insurance policy plan like the health booster plan offered by ICICI Lombard offers enhanced coverage. This policy goes beyond the standard hopitalisation costs to cover Out Patient treatment expenses (OPD). Thus coverage for room charges, hospital boarding expenses, nursing expenses, ambulance charges is offered by the plan. Moreover, this personal health insurance policy also covers costs for dental treatment, surgeon and other related medical practitioners. This policy is extremely beneficial for those undergoing treatment which requires dialysis, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This is because this plan covers costs of medicines and drugs as well as consultancy charges. As reimbursed is offered once the claim is made, the financial burden on the insured is greatly reduced.

This personal insurance for health does not have any sub-limits on room rent, doctor’s fees, hospital charges or any disease. The policy also does not have co-payments for any disease or hospitalisation expenses. Co-payment is the fraction of cost to be borne by the insured when making claims while sub-limit is the restriction on the sum insured for any disease, treatment or service covered by the policy. This policy also offers cashless claims across any of its 4000+ network hospitals and avail of optimal treatment without worrying about the bills. Thus, you do not have to worry about paying for any hospitalisation charges as all additional costs are taken care of by the policy.

It is therefore important to carefully select your insurance cover so that you can secure your health optimally and relieve yourself or your loved ones of any financial stress during an exigency.

Exploring the realm of health insurance is always advantageous, and in this article, we delve into the specifics of Personal Accident Insurance, shedding light on its unique benefits and considerations.

What does this insurance offer?

• Compensation to nominee

Personal accident offers compensation to the nominee in the event of accidental death of the insured.

• Compensation on permanent or temporary disability

In case of permanent or temporary disability, personal accident insurance provides security to the insured and his or her family by offering a compensation for the loss of livelihood.

• Reimbursement of hospitalization cost

insurance cover hospitalization expenses and also earmark a sum for daily allowance during hospitalization.

How is it different from other insurance ?

• Fills the gap in a finance portfolio

Health policies promptly reimburse expenses relating to medical exigencies while life insurance policies offer the assured sum in the eventuality of death. Personal accident insurance on the other hand step up to neatly fill the unnoticed gap in a finance portfolio by securing the potential monthly earnings of a family.

• Secures family earnings

Cover the risk of partial or complete loss of earnings of the breadwinner of a family. insurance may be extended to offer coverage to all kinds of accidents - major and minor that may result in physical separation or loss of use of limbs, organs etc.

• Universal coverage

Personal accident insurance offers a worldwide coverage to the insured.

Who should opt for personal accident insurance?

All individuals who wish to create a contingency plan to meet liabilities in case their earning capacity is impaired should opt for personal accident insurance. For example, salaried employees who need to pay monthly EMIs for a home loan.

What should be the ideal sum assured for personal accident insurance?

It is advisable to avail the personal accident cover for a sum that takes into consideration the insured's monthly earnings including earning from salary as well as other avenues.

Corollary

A personal accident insurance policy is instrumental in supporting the insured's family so that they continue to lead a normal life despite the loss or discontinuance of income.

As ailments and medical contingencies arise without prior warning, the least you can do is to remain sufficiently prepared. This is because given the increasing costs of healthcare in India; it does not take long for a medical emergency to turn into a financial one. The burden of arranging for finances can leave you stressed and hassled. To prevent such an unfortunate situation from materialising during a medical emergency, it is best to secure a health insurance cover.
In order to get maximum benefits, it is important to purchase an insurance policy which has comprehensive coverage. A policy with comprehensive coverage takes care of basic medical coverage, hospitalisation expenses as well as several small yet significant expenses like pre and post hospitalisation costs, doctor’s expenses, surgeon’s fees, room rent, etc. Such extensive covers will further lighten your financial burden. The ICICI Lombard complete health insurance may one such cover you may choose, which is comprehensive in its design.
With the floater benefit of this insurance cover, you may secure your entire family (subject to policy terms) with a single insurance premium amount. Not only that, with this comprehensive insurance you get lifetime policy health renewal. Thus, you can enjoy the benefits of your health insurance cover without any interruptions. The premium amount for this health plan can be easily customised to match your requirement. You may also have the option of selecting the 1 or 2 year (automatic policy health insurance renewal) policy period as per plans offered.
The cashless claims facility offered by this health insurance plan is most beneficial. With this, the insured can avail of treatment from any of the 4000+ network premium health care providers without having to worry about the costs of treatment.
In case of no claims made in the previous policy term, the insured can get a cumulative bonus as an additional sum insured (as per insurance plan chosen) with policy health renewal. This will help to keep your health insurance cover abreast with the times and will adequately meet the rising cost of medicines due to inflation. Thus, you not only enjoy uninterrupted coverage but can also avail of the benefit of a larger sum insured.
This insurance policy can be purchased without undergoing any medical tests if you are below 46 years of age. As the policy is available online, you simply have to fill in the essential details, the premium amount will be generated by the online calculator and you can make instant payment using several options available. This online feature is also extended to policy health insurance renewal which further saves time and effort.

Tobacco use is no reason to skip health insurance

According to an all India survey conducted by Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies – Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, there are around 206 million adult users of smokeless tobacco in India, a figure that is much higher than the 111.2 million tobacco smokers. As per an ICICI Lombard survey, work-related stress (35%) and peer pressure (38%) are the leading causes for taking up smoking. These figures are dire especially when it comes to availing health insurance.

Why Are Smokers Reluctant to Buy Health Insurance?

57% smokers in India do not have a health insurance, as per a recent survey of 1011 participants by ICICI Lombard. In such a case, the smoker is not covered for any unfortunate health eventualities. This is far more grievous if the smoker happens to be the only working member and provider in his family. The smoker and their family are not covered for any medical eventualities.
Smokers generally believe that their insurer will consider all arising future ailments to be a result of their unhealthy habit and reject claims. This is the most common fear stopping them from purchasing health insurance. Such apprehensions are of course unfounded.

Smoking Effects on Premium

Insurance companies define a smoker as anyone who uses any form of nicotine. This includes cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and even nicotine patches or gum.
Being a smoker or having pre-existing ailments are not direct grounds for rejection by your health insurer. However, if smoking leads to further health complications, the insurer might be apprehensive about approving your application.
It is no surprise that smoking is the leading cause for cancer and several other serious diseases. Smoking is also the leading factor for 80% of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Additionally, smokers are 16 times more prone to the risk of heart attack. This liability is not lost on insurers. They charge higher premiums to nullify the effects of raised health risks and shorter life expectancy.
The increased premiums for smokers are not at a flat rate. Different levels of smokers have proportionate rates of premium, with a current chronic smoker however paying the highest. The rate of premium for smokers can be as much as 56% higher than that for non-smokers. Some companies offer incentives and discounts to non-smokers to discourage the habit and resulting liability.

Parkinson's disease impacts the nervous system, gradually affecting various bodily functions. The early signs of this condition can be subtle, often going unnoticed until they become more pronounced. Typically, the initial indication is a barely perceptible tremor in one hand, though other symptoms may also manifest. Parkinson's disease's early symptoms progressively worsen over time, making early detection and intervention crucial.

In this blog, we will discuss Parkinson’s symptoms so that you can go for timely treatment.

What are the Symptoms of Parkinson's?

Parkinson's symptoms can vary from person to person, but they generally follow a pattern. Here are the primary symptoms associated with this condition:

• Tremor

A rhythmic shaking, known as a tremor, frequently begins in a limb, typically in the hand or fingers. It may resemble a pill-rolling motion and can occur when the affected limb is resting. Tremors may diminish during purposeful movements.

• Slowed movement (Bradykinesia)

Over time, Parkinson's disease can reduce movement speed. Everyday tasks like walking or standing up from a chair may become challenging as your steps become shorter and your gait less fluid.

• Rigid muscles

Stiffness can affect any part of your body and can be painful and restrictive. Range of motion becomes limited, making everyday activities increasingly difficult.

• Impaired posture and balance

Many individuals with Parkinson's experience stooped posture or balance issues, leading to falls or instability while walking.

• Loss of automatic movements

Unconscious movements like blinking or swinging your arms while walking may become more challenging.

• Speech changes

Speech may become soft, quick, slurred, or hesitant. Individuals may also exhibit a more monotone speech pattern than usual.

• Writing changes

Writing may become difficult, and handwriting may appear smaller and less legible.

Learn how you can ace at work without stress. Ever experience blurred vision, watery eyes, or pain behind the neck? Often feel exhausted and sluggish at the end of the day, even without much physical exertion? These could be your body's way of telling you that you have been sitting for long hours at a stretch at your work desk, impacting not only your productivity but also your overall well-being. Consider incorporating simple exercises, stretching routines, and mindfulness techniques into your daily routine. Additionally, ensure to take short breaks to stand, stretch, and walk around. Prioritizing your health through regular movement is crucial, and you may also explore options for comprehensive health insurance coverage to address any arising concerns and ensure your well-being in the long run.
Working without breaks can be counterproductive and might result in stress. Here are some simple ways in which you can de-stress yourself without getting away from your desk:

1. Gaze out of your window

In school, we were told not to gaze out of the window while classes were going on. However, sometimes that is just what your mind needs for rejuvenation and regained focus.
If your thoughts happen to drift away, take a short break. Allow your thoughts to flow. The sub-conscious works in mysterious ways; you just might find the solution you were looking for, in the midst of your daydreaming.

2. Doodle Away

Whenever you panic over an important assignment, or hyperventilate over an impossible deadline, take a pen and paper and let your right brain go crazy. Make some cartoons or just draw whatever comes to your mind.
Meanwhile, your left brain takes a break so you can start fresh with your work once again. Remember, you want to relax, not add to your stress. So don't worry about how your picture or sketch turns out, even random squiggles can help!

3. Meditate

While it may seem boring, meditation has been proven quite effective to manage your mind. Simply close your eyes and take deep breaths.
If you are unable to concentrate with your eyes closed, then look at soothing images or listen to relaxing music. The sound of flowing water is known for its calming effect. Perform better in meetings or achieve deadlines with a clear head.

With the count in cases of deadly diseases such as dengue and cancer on the rise, the popularity for disease-specific insurance plans is increasing in the city of ‘Nizams’. The health insurance firms have started floating disease-specific plans for their customers. In addition to the health insurance policy that encompasses a myriad of diseases, these disease-specific plans come with protection from deadly diseases, which are otherwise excluded in general healthcare plans.

The experts say that, apart from increasing cases of these diseases, the popularity of these plans are also high, due to the high treatment costs that is involved with it. According to rough estimates, the healthcare expenses for dengue can easily touch ₹1 lakh and more depending on the severity. Whereas treatment for cancer and other such severe diseases cost no less than ₹3-5 lakh.

Industry insiders noted, while these trend of disease-specific policies were introduced about 3 years ago, it has picked up pace in Hyderabad only now. Apart from cancer and dengue related policies, diabetic and cardiac insurance plans are also being purchased in substantial numbers in the city. Firms are also seen rolling out special policies for HIV/AIDS, kidney diseases, neuro disorders etc.

In what is sure to be good news for parents of new-born babies admitted to neonatal ICUs, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has termed the definition of a newborn as a “baby born during the policy period and aged up to 90 days” in the realm of health insurance.

This definition has also been conveyed to the Newborn Medical Insurance Committee of the National Neonatology Forum (NNF), a body that has been fighting relentlessly for providing health insurance coverage to newborns.

Prior to this communication by IRDAI, insurance benefits for newborns were limited to vaccination in the first 90 days of the baby’s birth, that too in family health insurance policies having newborn coverage. By defining the term ‘newborn’, IRDAI has ensured that a newborn can avail the health insurance benefits from the time of birth itself.

The move comes at a time when the medical fraternity is worried over the rising cases of neonatal complications, and the dismal health insurance coverage provided to newborns. Treatment for the little ones is expensive and can range from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000/day.