Vitamins are essential to keep the body going. For the normal functioning of the body and a top-notch immune system, you must include vitamins and minerals in your diet. Vitamin deficiency can cause several health issues and trigger bigger health problems with serious consequences. Most body functions need direct and indirect vitamin support for execution. For example, vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption in the body. It means not having enough vitamin D can lead to issues related to calcium deficiency as well. Today, we will look at how vitamin D helps in maintaining good health and run you through a detailed list of Vitamin D food for vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that helps the body to absorb as well as retain calcium, phosphate, and magnesium—minerals essential for a healthy skeletal system. Vitamin D also controls cancer cells, checks infections, reduces inflammation, and boosts immunity. The daily amount needed to sustain healthy calcium metabolism and strong bones is referred to as the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin D. They are:

• UL: The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (TUIL) is the largest daily intake that is unlikely to have a deleterious impact on health (UL). The UL for vitamin D in children aged 9 years and above is 4,000 IU (100 mcg).
• RDA: For people aged 19 years and above, the recommended daily allowance is 600 IU (15 mcg). For those over 70 years, it is 800 IU (20 mcg).

Benefits of vitamin D

Vitamin D can reduce inflammation, restrict the growth of malignant cells, and assist in preventing infections. Besides supporting bone health, vitamin D is a major requirement in the normal functioning of many organs and tissues. Some benefits of vitamin D include:

• Fights bone diseases: Vitamin D is an essential component for calcium absorption. Without vitamin D, you cannot have calcium in your body in active form. Absorption of calcium allows the body to maintain the required amount of phosphate in the body which is again essential for bone health and development.

• Helps maintain good mental health: While it is not clear how essential vitamin D is in checking clinical depression, it is highly effective in managing seasonal depression. Since there is less sunlight in winter, the body absorbs relatively much lesser vitamin D. This adversely affects the neurotransmitter serotonin.

• Fights respiratory infections: If you have a significantly low vitamin D level, chances are high that you may suffer from more respiratory issues such as cold and flu. Research shows that deficiency of Vitamin D can worsen the post-COVID consequences.

• Protects against heart ailments and diseases: Adequate amount of vitamin D reduces the risks of heart failure, stroke, and several heart diseases. Medically, it is not clear if Vitamin D is solely responsible for the prevention of heart diseases, but it definitely helps.

• Keeps the risks of diabetes in check: Cell-based observational studies show that vitamin D augments insulin sensitivity, improves beta cell function, and reduces inflammation. All these factors are extremely important in controlling Type 2 Diabetes.

• Reduces cancer risk: More and more scientific sample studies are reinforcing the role of vitamin D in managing and reducing the threat of cancer. The potential correlation between vitamin D and colon cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer is evident. Vitamin D helps in controlling the growth of cancer cells.

• Guards against autoimmune conditions: Vitamin D plays a very important role in regulating the immune system, thus preventing autoimmune disorders. Studies show that people who intake or absorb sufficient vitamin D are less prone to autoimmune disorders such as arthritis, thyroid etc.

• Helps check cognitive inefficiency and dementia: Our brain tissues have vitamin D receptors. This indicates the role of vitamin D in cognitive development and health. Since vitamin D enhances cognitive function, it also helps in preventing conditions such as dementia.

Top vitamin D-rich food items for vegetarians

Now that you are well aware of the importance of including vitamin D in your diet, it is only obvious that you would want to know about vitamin D foods. Given below is a list of vitamin D food for vegetarians. To ensure an adequate amount of vitamin D in your body, include these vitamin D-rich foods:

• Fortified orange juice: Most store-bought fortified orange juice is supplemented with calcium and vitamin D, making it a reliable source of nutrition for lactose-intolerant people. One cup of enhanced orange juice has 100 IU of vitamin D.

• Mushrooms: Similar to humans, mushrooms can produce Vitamin D when exposed to sunshine. With 2300 IU of vitamin D2 per 100g, they are rich in vitamin D. However, professionally raised mushrooms have very little vitamin D2. Although, some varieties receive UV light treatment, making them a good source of vitamin D. These mushrooms contain 130 to 450 IU of vitamin D2.

• Fortified soymilk: For vegans and vegetarians, soymilk is a nutritious meal alternative because it contains the same nutrients as cow's milk. Each cup of soy milk contains 120 IU of vitamin D. However, before purchasing soy milk, read the label to determine whether it contains vitamin D. Little vitamin D is present in non-fortified brands.

• Cheese: Cheese makes one of the best vitamin D-rich food for vegetarians. Cottage cheese has particularly higher amounts of vitamin D. Other cheeses with vitamin D include Cheddar, Fontina, and Monterey. Any type of cheese has about 24 IU of vitamin D per 100g serving.

• Yoghurt: Because yoghurt is fortified with vitamin D, dairy and non-dairy yoghurts have high levels of this vitamin. It contains around 120 IU of vitamin D per cup.

• Fortified almond milk: Each serving of fortified almond milk has 2.4 mcg (96 IU) of vitamin D. Numerous almond milk brands also add calcium to enhance its nutritional value.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India(IRDAI) is the insurance sector regulatory body in India. The IRDAI’s objective is to optimise the existing insurance industry and make sure the operations and conduct of the sector are fair. The insurance market is undergoing constant changes, upgradation, and high competition. Consequently, the role of the IRDAI is essential.

IRDAI rules for health insurance

The IRDAI has laid down some rules for health insurance claim settlement for all insurance providers registered under it. These rules are laid down to help both the insurer and the insured. Listed below are some of the rules for health insurance claims laid down by the IRDAI:

• A health insurance may not have an exit age if the policyholder renews it on schedule without any interruptions in renewal.
• A Group Health Insurance policy comes with a validity of a maximum of one year.
• The insurer is responsible for providing the policyholder with information regarding the terms and conditions of the policy concerning receiving care at a hospital in India.
• The insurance provider must give the policyholder the choice to switch to another plan after meeting the exit conditions for their health insurance policy. Additionally, insurers must award appropriate credits if the policy was renewed without any gaps.
• The insurance provider must give the applicant a fair, justifiable, and open explanation in writing if their request to purchase health insurance is declined.
• A policyholder will receive rewards if they renew their coverage on time, purchase it early in life, or have a positive claims experience with an insurance provider. The prospectus and policy document should include explicit references to the benefits as agreed by the board.
• Before issuing the policy, the insurance company should give the policyholder a list of medical facilities, government or otherwise, from whom the firm will accept the medical reports.
• Particularly for senior individuals, the premium amount should be reasonable, equitable, and clear. Additionally, the total sum should be made clear to the potential policyholder.

IRDAI new rules for claim settlement

IRDAI has rules for claim rejection and settlement as well. Some of them are:

For claim rejection

• If the policyholder maintains the coverage for 8 years without a break, the health insurance provider cannot deny a claim. These 8 years are called the moratorium period.
• Except in cases of fraud and/or a claim brought against the exclusion of the health policy after the moratorium period, the insurance company cannot appeal to the IRDAI against the settlement of such a claim.
• A claim cannot be denied by the insurance company due to misrepresentation or non-disclosure.
• A claim cannot be denied on that basis since IRDAI has allowed the insurance company an 8-year window for validating the information provided by the policyholder.

For claim settlement

• The insurance company is responsible for paying interest on the claim amount at a rate that is 2% higher than the bank rate if the insurer's claim payment is delayed.
• The claim should be resolved within 30 to 45 days of the date the policyholder received the last necessary document.

You must always check the claim settlement ratio (CSR) of a health insurance company before buying a policy from them. In fact, you should compare different insurance providers, their plans, terms and conditions, coverage, and waiting period for pre-existing diseases before paying the premium amount. Also, compare their health insurance claim settlement ratio. This is because a medical emergency would already put you under immense mental stress. In such a situation, the last thing you would want to do is follow up through a complex claim settlement process, and worse, face claim rejection. An insurer with a good claim settlement ratio will help you with a seamless and hassle-free claim settlement process.

Checking claim settlement ratio for health insurance plans

Before zeroing in on a health insurance plan, run through the following steps:

• Every year, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) publishes the claim settlement ratios of all insurance companies registered under it.
• Visit the official website of the IRDA and check the IRDA health insurance claim settlement ratio of your preferred insurance company. Look for the IRDA Annual Report and download the PDF for the latest financial year.
• Make a list of insurance companies with a high IRDA Claim Settlement Ratio in 2022. The higher the claim settlement ratio, the better your chances of getting the sum insured in times of medical emergency.
• Now, compare the coverage benefits of the available health insurance plans of companies with a high claim settlement ratio.

Remember, a health insurance plan may come with good coverage and several additional benefits at a competitive price. But, if the claim settlement ratio of that health insurance provider is not good, you may face a hard time getting your claim settled when you need it the most. This would defeat the whole purpose of getting health insurance.

Dental hygiene is essential for overall health. Ignoring your oral health can cause cavities and tooth decay. For example, if you ignore dental plaque and do not visit your dentist to have it removed from your tooth enamel, you may develop an oral bacterial infection. Dental procedures, like any other medical treatment, can consume a month's or two's salary. Still, in most cases, they are not part of standard health insurance, and there are no riders available to take care of your teeth. Have you ever wondered why dental is not covered by health insurance? To know the answer, read on. 

Why is dental work not included in health insurance?

In India, most insurers cover dental procedures if the need for medical treatment arises as a result of a severe accident. Furthermore, if some oral ailments have become life-threatening, you may be able to settle your related claims if dental procedures are based on the recommendations of registered medical practitioners.

What insurers do not cover are planned dental procedures. These procedures are classified as cosmetic treatments. For example, if you go to your dentist for a dental screening, crowning, extractions, or fillings, any associated claim will be denied.

Conclusion

Dental procedures are subject to policy exclusions as they are considered cosmetic procedures. Even if your insurer provides coverage for this, you should try to understand all the provisions associated with dental-related issues and the claim process.

As the name implies, a family floater health insurance covers the entire family under a single policy. The policy benefits apply to your spouse, dependent children, and dependent parents. Sometimes siblings are also covered by this plan, but you must check this with your insurer.

Here Is How Family Floater Plan Works

Assume you have a Rs 1,000,000 worth family floater insurance policy. Along with you, the plan covers your spouse and children. Your spouse and child became severely ill within a year of purchasing the policy. The treatment bill for your spouse is approximately Rs 800,000, and that for your child is around Rs 200,000. In this case, the sum insured of Rs 1,000,000 will cover both sets of bills.

In a family floater plan, each covered member is free to use the sum insured up to the full amount. However, if one member uses the entire amount, the other member will be denied benefits. To overcome this, you can supplement your policy with a reinstatement add-on. It will restore the sum insured, allowing other covered members to benefit from the coverage.

Family Floater Policy Coverage

• The policy reimburses for pre and post-hospitalisation expenses.
• This family health insurance covers daycare procedures such as minor surgeries and anaesthesia.
• There is also a provision for medical expenses related to organ donors for a specific time.
• You can also raise medical bills related to in-patient and domiciliary expenses.
• In case you or a loved one has contracted coronavirus, the associated medical bills will be reimbursed.

A family floater plan is essential today. However, before choosing an insurer, you should consider the coverage scope, renewability options, ease of adding new members and claim settlement process.

Owing to ever-rising inflation, a huge sum of money that appears sufficient today may prove inadequate for the smallest of your needs in the future. In India, everything is becoming more and more expensive, whether it is groceries or the cost of treating minor ailments. In such a scenario, insurance products come in handy.

However, purchasing medical insurance without first assessing your needs is pointless. You must account for today's doctor consultation fees, critical illness treatment costs, and more. How much health insurance do I need? is a valid question and today, we will look into it in detail.

How much health insurance is required for an individual?

 The answer majorly depends on your age. Most adolescents are free of major or minor illnesses. If you are young and work for a company that offers group health insurance, you may choose to insure yourself for a lower sum.

However, if you are over 40 years, your sum insured should be at least 3-5 times your annual income. It means that if you earn ₹6 lakhs per year, coverage ranging from ₹18 lakhs to ₹30 lakhs is ideal.

How much health insurance is needed for a family?

If you are your family's sole breadwinner, it is your responsibility to look after your loved ones. If your family consists of your spouse and two children, you can choose a family floater plan with a sum insured of 3-5%. If you have family group health insurance, you may choose lower coverage if you are on a tight budget.

Health insurance for senior citizens or parents

 People in their old age are more vulnerable to illness. There is also a chance that they have a pre-existing disease or have had major surgery such as a heart bypass in the past. Consider their medical history, current lifestyle, and personal income when deciding on the amount of coverage for senior citizen parents. Remember, the premium for senior citizens is slightly higher than for young people.

What is the right amount of coverage?

 You should decide on coverage after considering your age and the number of dependent members. If you have a spouse over the age of 40 years, dependent children, and dependent parents, the total sum insured should be on the higher side. Other factors to consider include:

•  Determine potential medical risks. For example, if you have diabetes, you are more prone to heart disease, strokes, and other complications. Always factor in these uncertainties before deciding on the best coverage.
•  Check to see if the insurer you are considering has network hospitals in your city.
•  Evaluate the benefits provided by the group health insurance through which you are covered.
•  Check with your insurance company to see if advanced medical treatments are covered. Read the fine print in the policy brochure to see the provisions relating to the policy's inclusions and exclusions.

All of these parameters not only aid in the selection of the best sum insured, but also in the selection of the best insurer.

Health insurance is essential and the most widely purchased insurance product. The rising cost of medical care combined with a sedentary lifestyle makes it a must-have. Health insurance covers different medical conditions and allows you to lead a stress-free life.

 Health insurance is usually available as an individual plan and a family floater policy. The scope of coverage for both is identical except for the use of the sum insured. Let us proceed and learn

How does health insurance work in India?

Health insurance is specifically designed to provide financial protection against various illnesses. In exchange, the insurer requires you to pay a premium. The cost of this product is determined by several factors, the most important of which is your age and medical history.

 As a Policy Owner, you are entitled to benefits up to the sum insured. In general, medical insurance policies cover the following expenses:

 Pre and Post-hospitalization expenses

Daycare procedures

AYUSH treatment recognized by government institutions

In-patient expenses

ICU charges

Indoor expenses

However, keep in mind that the scope of coverage may differ between insurers. Every policy has a waiting period, and benefits are available once that period is over. As a result, thoroughly reviewing the policy wording is critical.

 Deductibles are another important factor to consider. It is the amount you must pay out of pocket at the time of settlement. There are two types of deductibles - mandatory and voluntary. If you increase the latter, your premium will be reduced while your liability will increase.

How does health insurance renewal work?

 Health insurance benefits are available for a fixed time frame. After this period expires, you will have to renew your policy by paying the required premium. During renewal, you can add riders to expand the scope of coverage. If you don't make any medical claims, your insurance coverage will increase up to a certain limit.

 Nowadays, insurers allow both online and offline renewal.

A medical emergency can be a frightening situation. It not only renders you unable to work for the duration of your hospitalisation but makes it difficult to pay the treatment bills. To protect yourself and your loved ones from such occurrences, purchase comprehensive health insurance. The policy covers in-patient care, ICU expenses, pre and post-hospitalisation charges, consultation fees, and more. But, your health insurance will be useful only if your insurer has a streamlined claim process and high claim settlement ratio. 

When purchasing medical insurance for yourself or a loved one, always check the list of network hospitals provided by the insurer. Check to see if you can file your claim online or if the sole option is to visit the insurer with a stack of documents and wait for days for your bill to be reimbursed.

ICICI Lombard health insurance claim process

ICICI Lombard is noted for its instant coverage and speedy claim settlement process. With a settlement ratio of 99.7%, ICICI Lombard is one of the best insurance providers in the medical insurance industry. You can file a claim with ICICI Lombard by following these three simple steps:

• Initiate

Contact our claim executives as soon as a medical emergency occurs by dialling 1800 2666. You can also request via the IL Take Care App.

• Verification

Our claims team will verify the medical documents you shared. If everything checks out, your request will be processed further. 

• Tracking

You can track the real-time claim status with just a few clicks on your mobile device.

Claim procedure for cashless hospitalisation

ICICI Lombard has over 6700+ network hospitals across India, reducing your financial burden during the medical crisis.

• Visit the nearest network hospital. Keep a list of network hospitals handy to avoid the last-minute hassle.
• Go to the health desk counter and show the third-party administrator (TPA) your health card.
• TPA will complete the pre-authorisation request application and submit it on your behalf to the ICICI Lombard claim team.
• The claim executives will review the request form and verify the medical reports before approving the request.
• Once the request is approved, you can avail of treatment for free. 
• Post-treatment, the bills will be settled directly with the hospital.

Note: If the cashless claim is rejected due to missing information or another insignificant reason, you must pay the bills from your pocket before filing the reimbursement claim.

The immune-evading BF.7 variant of Covid-19 is wreaking havoc in China. According to various media reports, the disease is currently affecting millions daily. Given the severity of new strains and potential mutations, the Indian government has increased surveillance of people flying from China and its neighbouring countries. If the necessary measures are not put in at the right time, India may face the same fate as China. Furthermore, when Covid strikes, the healthcare infrastructure is overburdened, increasing the cost of disease treatment. Thus, in the interest of health & financial security, it is advisable to not just get a health insurance but also practice preventive measures against the spread of the virus.

Let's go over some precautionary measures that you may follow to avoid infection from this lethal virus.

Use masks & follow hygiene habits

When going out in public, make sure to wear a mask. For added protection, use a K95 or N95 mask. If at all possible, avoid going out in public places or crowded areas. However, because there is no lockdown and offices are open, the only way to prevent the virus is to

• Practise social distancing
• Isolate in case of symptoms (fever, cold, cough, or breathlessness)
• Sanitise regularly

Get vaccinated

The government's previous massive vaccination campaign aided India in reducing the virus's threat. However, if you have not yet been immunised with any of the authorised vaccines, you should do so right away. Those who have been vaccinated must make an appointment to receive a booster dose or a nasal spray that has recently been introduced to boost immunity against the virus.

Get Health insurance

Insurance does not prevent the virus from infecting you, but it does come into play if you are infected. The cost of treating covid cases can be high because, once severe, it can affect other parts of the body. To deal with covid, the IRDAI implemented the Corona Kavach policy.

Corona kavach is an indemnity plan that covers the cost of covid treatment if you are hospitalised for more than 24 hours after being diagnosed with this ailment. The sum insured under this policy ranges from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5,00,000. The policy includes pre and post-hospitalisation expenses, comorbid conditions, ICU charges, and domiciliary treatment.

Final Words

Covid prevention is always preferable to cure. A reliable medicine to treat this virus has yet to be developed. Remember - the preparation to protect yourself against this virus begins with the purchase of health insurance, which is followed by precautions such as wearing masks, getting vaccinated, and practising social distancing.

The Government introduced the Goods & Services Tax, popularly known as GST, in 2017. GST consolidates multiple indirect taxes such as excise duty, VAT, and service tax under a single umbrella. It also helps business owners to understand the tax implications better and allows them to conduct business transactions more smoothly.

GST applies to almost all goods and services, including health insurance products, sold across the country. When you buy health insurance plan, you must pay an 18% GST. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how GST affects your medical insurance. However, before that let us first understand what GST is and how it works.

What is GST?

GST is a single indirect tax that you—the consumer, must pay when purchasing household goods such as clothing and food. Furthermore, this tax is applicable if you avail of any services such as dining, transportation, or insurance.

Types of GST on Health Insurance

• Central GST (CGST)

This portion of GST goes to the Central government's account.

• State GST (SGST)

The component of GST is collected by the state government on intra-state transactions.

• Integrated GST (IGST)

IGST is split evenly between the Central and the state government. Here, the concerned state is where the goods or services are consumed.

• Union Territory GST (UGST)

You must pay UGST if you have consumed goods or services in a union territory such as Chandigarh and Andaman & Nicobar. 

In India, there are five GST slabs—0%, 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%. The Government has clearly defined which services or goods will be subject to which tax bracket.

Impact of GST on health insurance

Health insurance has become expensive since the implementation of GST. Earlier, when purchasing health insurance, the policyholder was charged a 15% service tax. The components of the service tax are:

• Basic service tax – 14%
• Swach Bharat cess – 0.5%
• Krishi Kalyan Cess – 0.5%

Since the tax rates were revised, you must now pay an additional 3% in taxes when purchasing or renewing medical insurance

Tax savings under section 80D

Investing in health insurance not only protects you financially in the event of a medical emergency but also allows you to save a significant amount of money on taxes. Section 80D of the income tax allows you to bring down the tax payable amount by up to Rs 1,00,000. Here is the table detailing the tax benefits under section 80D

In addition to the insurance premium, you can also claim a deduction for the amount spent on the preventive health check-up. The maximum exemption limit, in this case, is Rs 5,000.

The New Features of ICICI Lombard Health Insurance

We have upgraded our health insurance policy to make it more comprehensive and inclusive. With this new version, you can avail a host of new benefits:

• Zone-based pricing - premium advantage in line with the treatment costs in your zone
• Pneumococcal Vaccine discount
• Guaranteed No-Claim Bonus of 20% of sum insured for every claim-free year (with a maximum of 100% bonus)
• Unlimited reset up to 100% of sum insured for unrelated illness and once for same illness
• Medical procedure expenses for organ donor up to the sum insured
• Home care cover up to 5% of sum insured (max up to `25,000)
• Limit for Cataract cover up to 10% of sum insured (maximum up to `1 Lakh per eye)

The company has also introduced a variety of complimentary services on the IL TakeCare app to help its customer stay healthy, safe and informed about their health

Click here to download IL Take Care App

Zone-based pricing

With our new zone-based pricing, you can get premium advantage in line with the treatment cost prevailing in a particular zone.

Zone definition

Based on your pincode, if you fall in zone A, you will continue to have the freedom to get treatment across India without zone based co-pay (Co-pay is a share of claim amount that you’d have to bear). For other zones, you will need to share a part of the claim amount for treatments at a hospital in higher zone.

Deductibles in Health Insurance Plans

Having an insurance policy may not cover you entirely during a medical emergency. This is because of a mostly overlooked aspect of health insurance called deductibles. A health insurance deductible is the amount payable by the policyholder while raising a claim. This amount is predefined in the policy plan. For example, if you raise a claim of Rs 1 lakh and the deductible mentioned in the policy is Rs 40,000, the insurer will approve payment of Rs 60,000 only after adjusting the deductible amount. It is the amount that you need to pay before the insurer starts to pay against the claim. In other words, you must pay medical insurance deductibles out of your pocket.

Why are deductibles included in health plans?

Deductibles are included in health insurance policies to discourage policyholders from making trivial claims. This also ensures that people don’t misuse their health covers to avail of hospitalization for minor medical concerns.

Relation with health insurance premium

The risk burden of the insurer reduces when there is a deductible amount in the health insurance policy. Therefore, health policies with high deductibles amount generally have a low insurance premium amount. If the amount of the deductible is low or non-existent, the premium amount will be higher.

Types of health insurance deductibles

• Policyholders can select voluntary deductibles amounts as per their budget and affordability. and decide their premium amount accordingly.
• A compulsory deductible is pre-decided by the insurer at the time of policy purchase. While buying a health policy with a compulsory deductible, the deductible becomes just another point in the list of policy terms and conditions. The compulsory deductible doesn’t have any impact on the premium amount.
• A cumulative deductible is applicable in family floater plans. In these policies, the insurance cover is a cumulative amount applicable to all the members of the family floater policy. Accordingly, the deductible amount is also applicable to all members cumulatively.
• A comprehensive deductible keeps on adding till you pay the amount applicable in your health policy. It is a single deductible that applies to all health covers, but it is not available in India at present.
• Non-comprehensive deductibles apply to specific parts of the policy and not the entire policy. Thus, it is deducted only when you raise a claim against such medical treatments to which the deductible is applicable. For any other claims, the deductibles clause is not triggered.

Experts say the mutant variant of coronavirus, which is believed to have originated from the UK, is even more infectious and dangerous.

2020 was a tough year. The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus disrupted the lives of millions of people across the globe. While some lost loved ones to the disease, many had to face financial turmoil as they lost their jobs due to the global lockdown.

However, just when the lockdown restrictions began to ease around the world, and everyone started believing the calamity is over, the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) announced that it had found a new strain or variant of the coronavirus. According to doctors and scientists, the mutant coronavirus variant is more contagious and even more dangerous than the original strain.

Citing this new coronavirus's danger, the UK Government imposed the most stringent lockdown in the country from January 5. Now, the questions that arise are, "What are the symptoms of this new COVID variant?", "Does India need to worry?", "Are the current vaccines going to be effective?", etc.

In this article, you will find information related to the new strain of coronavirus, including its symptoms, threats, associated dangers, and precautions you need to take. Read on.

The new coronavirus strain: What is it?

The new strain of the coronavirus was first identified in a man living in the south-east of England. The variant was named "VUI 202012/01" by the UK scientists. It includes a genetic mutation in the 'spike' protein, which is the reason for its highly contagious nature. According to researchers, this strain of the coronavirus has a minimum of 17 changes of mutation.

How harmful is the new Covid strain?

As per early reports, the coronavirus's new variant is highly contagious and can spread up to 70% faster than the original strain. In fact, in the UK, more than 60% of COVID patients are found to be infected with this new strain of coronavirus. What's more worrying is the fact that this variant is mostly infecting the people between 30 to 60 years of age.

Keeping in mind the threat this Covid strain poses to the population, several countries have temporarily suspended UK citizens' arrival on their shores. Few cases of infections have also been reported from Denmark, South Africa, Netherlands, Australia, France, and Italy.

What's the situation in India?

The new variant of coronavirus has entered India as well. However, the spike in the number of cases isn't too alarming, and the situation is mostly under control. As per government data, the total number of people who have tested positive for the UK strain of coronavirus stood at 165 on January 28.

Keeping in mind the safety of its citizens, the Indian Government has extended the temporary restrictions on the arrival of flights originating from the UK till February 14. Several states such as Maharashtra, West Bengal and Kerela have also taken various steps to control the spread of the mutant COVID-19 variant.

What are the common infection symptoms?

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) conducted a survey to identify the most common symptoms in new covid positive cases. According to the ONS reports, some of the new COVID variant's symptoms include cough, sore throat, muscle pain, joint pain and fatigue.

The reports also suggested the differences between the new coronavirus strain symptoms compared to the old one. It pointed out that the people infected with the latest COVID-19 variant are less likely to experience the loss of smell and taste, which was a common symptom of the original strain.

What are the precautions that you need to take?

The precautions you need to take to avoid getting infected from the new coronavirus's new strain are no different. You should frequently wash your hands with soap or use hand sanitisers to keep your hands clean and germ-free. Also, you should always wear a mask and follow social distancing norms in public places.

In case you experience any of the symptoms, consult a doctor immediately and get yourself tested for the infection. In case you're found to be positive, obey the existing isolation rules and abide by the restrictions till you recover completely.

Will the current vaccines work against the new variant?

As per the scientists, there is no evidence that the current vaccines, including the ones developed by Pfizer and BioNtech in the UK and Covaxin or Covishield in India, will be ineffective against the new coronavirus strain. In fact, a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) has found that Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is entirely effective against the mutant variant.

Group health insurance plan along with individual health insurance provides adequate health coverage to your parents

The depth of love your parents have for you can never be measured. They have always been your backbone but at a ripe age, health is probably the first companion that starts deserting them and may take away their hard-earned savings along with it. The exponential rise in treatment and medicine costs compounded with limited scope of income can ruin their ‘golden days’.

The best gift you can provide to your aging parents is securing their healthcare expenses through a health insurance plan. You can buy a separate health insurance policy for your parents or you can include them in the Group Health Insurance (GHI) plan provided by your employer.

What is a Group Health Insurance?

Companies often provide group health insurance coverage to its employees and their family. The premium for this scheme is borne by the employer to create a loyal and motivated workforce. The employee may add his/her spouse, children and parents to this group health insurance plan.

Since the risk is spread across the group, the premium for group health insurance plan are less than individual plans. The organization may design a self-insured plan or may select a pre-planned group insurance policy provided by general insurance companies.

How is it Beneficial for My Parents?

Separate health insurance plans for your parents at a ripe age may cost you much more since they are highly prone to illnesses. The best way is to include them in the group health insurance (GHI) plan provided by your employer. Here’s how it can benefit your parents:

• They cannot be denied the health coverage on the basis of their medical history. No medical examination is required under GHI plan and the claim settlement is also smoother.
• There is no waiting period for any disease and you can claim the health cover for your parents right from the first day.
• Pre-existing diseases are not excluded from the health cover. So, if your parents are already diagnosed with certain ailments, they are also covered under the GHI plan.
• You can even customize the GHI plan provided by the employer by adding a top-up to increase the coverage amount for your parents.

When Arun went to the doctor for his routine check-up, he was quite amused to know that his blood pressure was found higher than normal and he was diagnosed with hypertension. He recognized its high risk factors could lead to cardiovascular diseases and kidney failures, and therefore immediately decided to buy an individual health insurance plan for himself because he knew it can ruin his finances.

High blood pressure or Hypertension is ranked as third most risk factor for attributable diseases in India. Research also shows that overall prevalence of hypertension in the country to be around 30%, with more than 320 lakh people being affected. Although you cannot control contracting the disease amid sedentary lifestyle and work pressure, you can always look to stay protected against hefty medical emergencies that could empty all your savings.

Hypertension Can Prove Fatal

Hypertension can arise due to several reasons and stress tops the list. Modern lifestyle and events from your personal or professional life can give rise to stress which leads to high blood pressure. It can cause many severe health conditions like heart attack, brain haemorrhage, kidney problems, etc. Even a slightly high blood pressure can lead to a stroke.

The rising inflation in medical sector makes it really hard to take care of hefty medical bills for treatment of such diseases. People are also willing to switch to private hospitals in order to get quality treatment but incur very high expenses for doctor’s fees, medicines, diagnostic tests, and hospitalization charges etc.

As the world is still reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic and is struggling to attain normalcy, health insurance has become even more significant in ensuring peace of mind. Health insurance provides a cover of assurance that you will be taken care of in the face of a medical crisis. Healthcare, today, is very expensive and a little something can cost you lakhs of rupees in the name of quality treatment and hospitalization costs. However, just getting any health insurance is not enough, what you need is the right cover that meets your needs without going over your budget. Here are some things to know before buying health insurance, including the important health insurance terms and conditions, to help you make an informed decision.

Health insurance conditions

Most insurance companies have their own set of conditions laid out for policy seekers. You must meet these conditions to be able to enjoy the policy benefits. Some of them are:

- Pre-policy health checks:

• At times, health insurance companies ask you to undergo several pre-policy health checks at their cost. These health checks help them assess your health risk profile so that they can offer a policy that best suits your needs. As an added advantage, you also get to know if there is something to look out for in terms of your health conditions.

- Waiting period:

The waiting period is a very important aspect of c. When you buy a health insurance plan, in the first month, the insurance companies only cover an accidental injury. This is considered a cooling-off period in which the insurance company can check if some problem might not have been missed in the health checks.

- Deductibles:

Deductibles are very important in terms of health insurance conditions. Deductibles are meant to help insurance companies while preventing misuse of medical insurance policies through frivolous claims. A deductible is the percentage amount of your medical bills that you are required to pay out of your pocket—generally 15% or 20% of the total bill amount as well as non-medical and administrative expenses. One good thing about deductibles is that for people who lead a healthy lifestyle and are at low risk, adding a higher voluntary deductible helps in bagging a higher discount on policy premiums.

Bills and receipts, which you thought had little value, can help you save tax

There are several ways to reduce the income tax payable, and out of these, most are unknown to us or often forgotten. Invoices and receipts of various expenses are examples of such commonplace items that can help reduce your tax liability.

Here are 8 invoice-related tax deductions in accordance with The Income Tax (IT) Act 1961, which you can claim to save more this year:

1. Children's Tuition Fee Receipt

Any tuition fee paid by you for the education of your children (maximum 2) is allowed for deduction under Section 80C. This payment can be to any recognized school, college, university or other educational institution situated within India for the purpose of full-time education of your children. It also includes payments for playschool, pre-nursery and nursery.

2. Medical Insurance Premium Receipt

Payment of medical insurance premium for yourself, your spouse and dependent children qualifies for tax deduction under Section 80D. Likewise, payment of medical or health insurance premium for your parents, whether dependent or not, qualifies as a deduction under this section.

3. Bills for Preventive Health Checkups

If you have not yet exhausted your deduction limit under Section 80D and you have a bill for a preventive health checkup, you can claim this bill and get a maximum of Rs. 5,000 as a deduction. This deduction is included within the overall limit of Rs. 25,000 of Section 80D (Rs. 30,000 in case of senior citizens) for the financial year 2014-15.

4. Meal Coupons and Hotel Bills

If your company issues meal coupons (like Sodexho) as a perquisite, you can make your meal expenses tax-free under Section 17. Meal expenses are not taxable up to Rs. 2,600 per month. If you are a business owner, you can save tax by indicating all meal expenses incurred as a part of your business – for example lunch or dinner meetings with various stakeholders of your business – as business expenses.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live. The new normal includes wearing masks, sanitisers, social distancing, restricted movement, work from home, online shopping and more. Another important aspect of this new normal is getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and get covered with good health insurance. While doctors believe that getting the covid vaccine may not be enough in avoiding infection, but it can certainly contain the severity of the condition. In India, the two most popular options for COVID-19 vaccines are—Covaxin and Covishield. Are you finding it difficult to choose one?

Covaxin

Made by Bharat Biotech, a Hyderabad-based biotechnology company, Covaxin is the first Indian vaccine against the COVID-19 causing coronavirus. It is made from an inactivated virus; the virus was killed before incorporating it into the vaccine. When introduced to a healthy human body, the inactivated virus triggers an immune response, developing antibodies to fight it. These antibodies prove useful in preventing a severe case of COVID-19 when the person is exposed to live coronavirus. The vaccine, stored between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, is taken in two doses with a gap of four to six weeks between the two shots.

The common side effects of Covaxin include fever, nausea, headache, pain and swelling at the site of injection, muscle ache and even fatigue in some cases.

Covishield

Covishield was developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and its Indian variant is manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune. While Covaxin is made using an inactivated coronavirus, Covishield is made from a viral vector obtained from a different virus usually found in Chimpanzees. The viral vector is modified to imitate the novel coronavirus. Covishield can be stored for up to six months at a temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. This too is taken in two doses at a gap of 6 to 8 weeks. Moreover, Covishield is claimed to develop more antibodies in the human body, thus needing a longer time gap between the two shots.

Covishield’s side effects are more or less the same as Covaxin and include pain and tenderness at the injection site, fever, nausea and weakness.

In May, the Indian government had expressed confidence in achieving 100% COVID-19 vaccination of adults by the end of 2021. While India is running a global race to achieve complete vaccination to beat the novel coronavirus, there are four types of Covid vaccine in India that are being used to contain the pandemic among the masses. It is important to get covered with good health insurance which covers corona related expenses in this pandemic. Let us take a look at these vaccine options, their similarities and differences, and cost.

Covishield

Manufactured by India’s largest vaccine maker, the Serum Institute of India, Covishield was developed by Oxford University, in collaboration with Cambridge-based pharma and biotech company AstraZeneca.

Covishield has been developed on the viral vector platform using a modified version of a common cold virus. The vaccine is taken in two doses and is found to have an efficacy of 76%, which increases up to 82% with a gap of 12 or more weeks between the two shots. Covishield has been cleared for vaccination by 117 countries so far. Many countries have opened their international borders for Covishield-vaccinated people, including 10 countries from the European Union.

In India, Covishield is being offered free of cost at government vaccination centres. However, if you get the jab in a private hospital, you may have to pay up to Rs 780 per dose—Rs 600 as the price of the dose, Rs 30 as GST and Rs 150 as the service charge.

Covaxin

Covaxin is developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology. Covaxin contains dead coronavirus, which prompts the immune system to develop antibodies against it. Covaxin is administered in two doses that should ideally be four weeks apart. Phase 3 trials of Covaxin showed a 77.8% efficacy. Although 13 countries have approved the use of Covaxin, the World Health Organization (WHO) is yet to give its nod to the vaccine.

In India, Covaxin is offered free of cost in government medical centres, while private hospitals can charge not more than Rs 1,410, which is inclusive of Rs 1,200 as the price of the dose, Rs 60 as GST and Rs 150 as the maximum service charge.

One of the largest joints in the body, the knee is often a cause of concern for most individuals. A healthy knee, which allows us to move, walk and run around with fluidity and flexibility, is now facing the brunt of modern lifestyles and habits. With increasing disposable incomes, availability of home delivery of food and everyday items, and easy transportation people have become less mobile.

Right from clothing to grocery, everything can be ordered and delivered from the comfort of your home or office, without the need for visiting the store. Moreover, the unhealthy lifestyle including reduced physical activity and poor eating habits are adding onto the burden on the knees along with causing other problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and putting the heart at risk.

Having a knee replacement surgery could be a life changing decision, irrespective of your age. However, make sure you ask yourself and your doctor these 5 questions before opting for knee replacement surgery.

1. Have you tried enough alternative options?

Usually doctors first suggest non-operative options such as physical therapy, weight loss, suitable light exercises or medications to strengthen the knee. Knee surgery is more of an “elective” procedure rather than a prescribed option. Hence, make sure you evaluate these options and try them to check if it alleviates the pain and makes life easy with natural remedies and less invasive procedures.

2. Are you doing it at the correct age?

Knee replacements are not as durable as your natural knee structure and lasts for only 15-20 years. If you are getting a knee replacement done at the age of 50 then you may want to reconsider a revision surgery at the age of 65 or 70. Moreover, considering that you will be older by the time you reach your 60s or 70s, the second surgery would be more difficult and harder to perform successfully. Hence, it is advisable to consider knee replacement surgery if you are over 50 years.

3. Which would be the ideal surgery for your knee?

Getting a total knee replacement surgery is not the solution for your knee pains. Your knee surgery depends upon a variety of factors which include your age, physical health, extent of the pain and discomfort, and other factors. Hence, it is best to take opinions for the ideal surgical procedure for your knee pain. There are various knee surgery options such as total knee replacement, partial knee replacement, knee arthroscopy, cartilage treatment as well as knee osteotomy.

4. What could be the outcome of your surgery?

Knee surgery could be a life-altering decision as it will not only affect you physically but mentally too. It is best to research and take different opinions from trusted and experienced surgeons to evaluate the possible outcomes once you undergo the surgical process. Knee replacement does not guarantee improved mobility or pain alleviation, although it may certainly help your cause. Hence, it is important to have appropriate expectations and prepare yourself mentally to undergo the treatment.

5. What could be done to increase the odds for a successful surgery?