We all know how Covid 19 was vulnerable to us. But most importantly, It has affected the senior citizens of our country. Everyone is worried about the health of their grandparents and parents because of the rise in health problems at their age. Due to increased age, specific physiological changes in bodies require special attention.

In this busy world, everyone cannot be for their parents 24*7, so taking a health insurance policy to help you in vulnerable situations is essential. As you age, the ailments and vulnerability increase, leading to health care expenses. Only some people are so rich to handle all the payments independently, and they need to select a good health plan that relaxes certain financial burdens.

Our Government of India(GOI) has launched some government health insurance schemes for senior citizens to ease this financial burden. These schemes are designed for people over 60 years, and GOI provides a specific range of health insurance plans to reduce the family's financial responsibility. In this article, we will read about health insurance for senior citizens by the government and how to choose the best one for you. Let's head on to the article.

Importance of Senior citizen health insurance schemes

At this age, one is more vulnerable to ailments and medical emergencies. Even a minor health problem can significantly burden your family's finances. But with health insurance for senior citizens, you can get coverage for medical expenses such as hospitalisation and surgeries. Here are some of the advantages of purchasing health insurance for seniors:

• Increase in illnesses: Due to the increase in age, multiple problems arise. The rise in diseases is the main problem, mainly because of lifestyle issues and pollution. Urban areas have developed a lot but are cursed with several problems. Most people are getting health issues from all these problems and facing financial issues.
  The government plays a significant role in tackling financial problems and health insurance for senior citizens in India. Taking health insurance for senior citizens is the best way to secure your finances in the worst times.
• The cost of medical care is rising: The growth in illnesses has been paralleled by the development of medical innovation that treats such diseases. Such medical progress, however, has a price. The cost of medicine is increasing tremendously quickly.

As a result, it makes financial sense for elderly persons to buy health insurance to combat the rising cost of medical care and be ready for emergencies. Getting a Government health insurance scheme in India will help you to lessen the burden.

• Costly medical insurance policies: A person's age is vital when calculating healthcare premiums for health coverage policies. As a person ages, the healthcare expenses for seniors rise. Choosing a central government health insurance scheme for senior citizens early on is preferable to cut premium costs.
• Seniors with comprehensive medical insurance: The Indian government health insurance for senior citizens has a reward for full coverage. The policy may be tailored to the medical and personal needs of India's millions of residents and is available as a household floater choice or a single cover. For the family's primary income provider, this Medical insurance for senior citizens gives a set coverage level and several income possibilities.
  In addition, it offers guaranteed returns and is frequently one of the finest investment opportunities with low to no risk levels among the various investment options available on the financial market.
• Available Nationwide: The fact that government health insurance for senior citizens in India is available throughout the nation is its most important quality and advantage. People can obtain healthcare services all around India thanks to health insurance programs supported by the state and national governments.
  You may be confident that wherever you live in India, you will receive the most benefits from the Health insurance scheme for senior citizens because your location has no bearing on its conditions. Those with transferable jobs will benefit from this provision since it will ensure full financial and health insurance in the event of a medical emergency, regardless of where it occurs in the nation.
• Underlying Medical Condition is Included: Central government health insurance for senior citizens covers an actual or pre-existing sickness, unlike most private general and health insurance firms. There is no waiting period when the plan does not cover a disease resulting from an underlying illness under the covering of underlying health issues.
  Also, it starts at the beginning of the policy term. All policyholders are eligible to use this feature's pre-existing health insurance benefit without paying any benefits to the people or expenses. Government health schemes for senior citizens in India aim to safeguard all Indians from health issues by providing coverage for all age groups.

Essential Things to Remember Before Buying The Best medical insurance for senior citizens

Choosing the finest senior citizen insurance policy might be difficult because so many options are available nowadays. It's critical to weigh all available options and crucial factors before deciding to ensure that you select the most significant policy.

• Age Requirement: The age element is crucial to the Government of India's health insurance for senior citizens. Even the outstanding attributes are only helpful if a person can purchase a healthcare plan because their age exceeds the policy's maximum age restriction. For seniors between the ages of 60 and 80, several insurers, mainly in the government sector, provide health insurance programs.
  Several insurers offer health insurance with no upper age limit on enrollment. The government's finest health insurance scheme for senior citizens offers enrollment even for those 80 years old. Choose a plan that allows registration at any age and offers more extended healthcare benefits. The age at which the policyholder may extend a health insurance policy is known as the renewal age.
  Specific healthcare plans only permit renewal until age 80, beyond which the policy could be renewed. Choose a government health insurance scheme for senior citizens that meets your needs because different businesses have different age restrictions for renewal.
• Insured Amount: Another essential factor to consider when choosing a Government health insurance scheme for senior citizens is the sum covered or healthcare benefits. Seniors require more excellent health insurance protection since health hazards rise as they age. Consider the appropriate face value; the more the asking price, the greater the overall coverage.
• Coverage: While the likelihood of such occurrences rises with advancing age, it is crucial to ensure that the top Government health insurance for senior citizens in India covers a wide range of ailments, especially severe illnesses.
  Also, you should carefully read all terms of service about exceptions, particularly those before health conditions and diseases that the insurance doesn't cover.
  Look out for inherited medical conditions, including hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The finest senior health insurance plans provide the broadest disease protection with the fewest exclusions.
• Existing Health Conditions: The time limit before a claim could be filed for a pre-existing health problem is specified in the Senior citizen health insurance scheme by the government of India itself.
  This is an essential consideration since, as people age, the risk of illness and subsequent hospitalisation related to a pre-existing health condition rises, making it more likely for elderly adults. Verify whether the plan you are considering covers pre-existing health conditions or not. The finest medical insurance for senior citizens in India will cover pre-existing health issues with the least waiting period.
• Applicable to every hospital: The ideal community hospital for a senior citizen's Pradhan Mantri health insurance for senior citizens would include the top hospitals in their direct vicinity. This is incredibly beneficial when older adults require hospitalisation or urgent care treatment.
  So, choosing a health insurance policy with an extensive hospital network specialising in various therapies is essential. Ensure that the policy you select has a vast network of hospitals available for cashless treatment and other related benefits.
• Premium: When contrasting Health insurance for senior citizens in India, premiums are also crucial. Insurance companies typically charge more significant premiums for seniors since they have higher health risks.
  Age affects how much a senior citizen's government benefits cost. The rates of these plans are also influenced by lifestyle choices, family history, general health, etc. Seniors who are in excellent health pay cheaper premiums for more significant benefits.
• Co-Payment Provision: The co-payment provision in health schemes in India differs from insurer to policyholder. A co-payment clause requires the insured to contribute some out-of-pocket medical costs. Some plans have co-payment provisions that require the insured to pay a percentage of the medical expenses, while others need them to contribute a specific amount.
• Insurance Claim Settlement Ratio: Check the claim settlement ratio of the insurance company you are considering. The higher the claim settlement ratio, the more likely you will receive your claim amount as quickly and efficiently as possible. Also, look for insurance companies that offer hassle-free claims processing. The right insurance company should have a smooth process that requires minimal paperwork for filing and processing a claim.

List of Government Health Insurance schemes for senior Citizens in India

There are several government-backed health insurance schemes for senior citizens in India. These are:

• National Varishtha Scheme: Seniors between 60 and 80 can purchase the Varishtha Mediclaim policy from National Insurance Corporation (NIC), which provides health insurance coverage. Although the policy has a one-year term, it may be renewed until age 90. The Health insurance for senior citizens offers an Rs.10K hospitalisation benefit and Rs.20k benefits for severe illnesses.
  Organ transplants are also covered by the plan, subject to a limit. Additionally, the Varishtha Mediclaim Insurance allows you to apply cumulative bonuses and covers the cost of medical examinations performed during the non-claim period. Additionally, this medical insurance government pays up to Rs. 1k for urgent ambulance services.
• Oriental Senior Citizen Hope Health Insurance: A person over sixty is covered by Oriental Insurance's Health of Privileged Elderly (Hope) program, a coherent government mediclaim policy. The health plan covers only particular conditions, and a 20 percent co-payment is required for all claims.
  The Hope plan covers unexpected injuries, which may be extremely useful during an accident. Hence, the senior citizen insurance scheme covers major diseases like chronic kidney insufficiency, knee surgery, malignancy, and heart conditions.
• United India Senior Citizen Mediclaim Policy: This elderly Citizen health care plan from United India Medical Insurance is geared towards those between 61 and 80. A sum guaranteed value between one to three lakhs is available to older adults. This government health insurance scheme's coverage for in-home hospitalisation is one of its major components.
  The Central government schemes also pay for ICU costs and speciality medical procedures, including dialysis, radiation, and chemotherapy. After just a 48-month waiting time, it even covers existing medical conditions.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY): The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana was introduced in September 2018 to enhance health services and give insurance coverage to India's disadvantaged communities, particularly senior folks.
  The scheme of the Indian government provides coverage for up to 5 lakhs and covers costs for pre- and post-hospitalization, treatment, medicine, and other expenses. PMJAY, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, cover all 10,000 approved medical treatments. The program is open to anyone who falls below the poverty line.
• Star Health Senior Citizen Red Carpet Insurance Plan: The Star Health Senior Citizen Red Carpet plan provides coverage to those over the age of sixty-one. It is a complete package that covers hospitalisation, pre-existing diseases, accidental death and disability. The range includes home healthcare, ambulance services, free health check-ups, and other benefits such as free consultation with a specialist. The plan is available in three variants—gold, silver, and bronze—with coverage up to Rs. 10 lakhs which can be availed for up to a maximum of 90 days.
  These are some government health insurance schemes available in India for senior citizens. It is essential to review all the plans and benefits available before deciding. It is also recommended that those eligible for these schemes take advantage of them as they provide much-needed financial security during medical emergencies. It is a good idea to compare different plans and their features before selecting one.

Conclusion

The increasing costs of paying for your parents' healthcare have become incredibly challenging due to changes in your livelihood. Although multiple private insurance companies provide older adults with health insurance plans, these plans typically have several problematic restrictions. The Government health insurance companies in India are people-centred and are designed to aid the elderly sufficiently financially when they are ill.

The leading government insurance schemes in India listed above will make your search easy and short. You can choose it for your grandparents or parents. Thus, be sure the plan you select meets your needs so that you may be by your loved ones' sides during their illness rather than rushing to secure funding for it.

FAQs

Do senior health insurance plans cover problems that already exist?

Most government health insurance for senior citizens includes coverage for pre-existing diseases. The insured must finish a set waiting period before claiming the payout, which may vary from plan to plan.

What would occur if anyone fails to pay a premium for health insurance?

A grace period of 30 days long is given. However, it may be shorter for plans with less frequent premium payments. If a legitimate claim is made under the insurance during the grace period, the policy issuer will still pay up on the claim.
The current and overdue premium may be subtracted from any benefit owed in such circumstances. The policy will expire. Also, you will lose many associated benefits if you do not pay the premiums just before the end of a time limit.

What is the age limit to purchase a health insurance scheme?

IRDAI states that anyone in India can purchase facilities for senior citizens in India until the age of 65. For people between the ages of 65 and 80, complete senior citizen healthcare insurance policies are available.