Early to bed, early to rise, early to exercise – a health insurance plan with wellness program makes you healthy, wealthy and wise
There has been a steady rise in insurance companies offering well-thought out insurance plans to promote well-being and healthy practices. Known as wellness programs, they offer wellness points for keeping yourself fit. These points can be later redeemed as per terms and conditions subject to a maximum.
How do wellness programs work?
- For every activity listed under the policy, you earn pre-determined wellness points
- Each wellness point is equivalent to certain pre-decided rupee value
- You can earn wellness points by producing relevant receipts or documents pertaining to the activity, along with a submission form
- Some insurers allow you to keep a track of these points by informing you periodically via emails
- Wellness points are subject to a maximum limit as set by your insurer for both individual and family floater plans
What are the benefits of a Wellness Program?
- Preventive care
Wellness Programs are designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle. They focus on two broad categories - lifestyle management benefits, which aim at managing and tracking your health, and disease management benefits that focus on avoiding the occurrence of specific diseases.
- Opportunity to decrease your expenses
Wellness programs not only help you track your health and keep fit, but also prevent the rising medical expenses from burning a hole in your pocket. They cover major costs that are usually excluded from your health insurance policy, thereby bridging a crucial risk gap. Most insurers let you claim for:
- Consultation charges
- OPD expenses
- Dental procedures
- Wellness-based activities
- Diagnostic charges
Which activities are usually covered under a wellness program?
Insurers offer reimbursement for the following activities:
- Risk Assessment - Medical, Preventive and Online Health Risk Assessment
- Procedures may include mammogram, heart-related screening and complete lipid profile, etc.
- Active participation in marathons, cyclothons, swimathons and other such professional sporting events
- Gym, yoga or aerobics membership for at least one year
- Quitting tobacco abuse, usually not triggered by the recommendation of a medical practitioner
Wellness programs are a win-win for both the insured and insurer. By promoting healthy practices, insurance companies reduce the probability of having to reimburse a claim. On the other hand, you, as the insured not only enjoy a healthy mind and body but also are cushioned against the rising medical expenses.
health insurance policy that promote physical well-being have been proved beneficial for the government as well. This is because, higher the number of healthy individuals in a country, more resources can be allocated towards targeted healthcare.
Thus, by providing several benefits along with your standard health insurance policy, wellness programs are the next best feature to look for.