Do Health Insurance Plans Cover Maternity Expenses?

One of the most beautiful phases in a woman's life is that of being a mother. During the maternity phase of a woman, it is important to take all the necessary measures to ensure the medical well-being of the to-be mother. During pregnancy, there are several complications that might occur uninvited. To shield yourself from such medical expenses, you must own maternity cover. It comes with a specific waiting period and therefore, should be purchased long before planning a baby. Maternity covers purchased when pregnant, will not claim any benefits as the pregnancy will be considered as a pre-existing ailment. 

Maternity insurance covers should be purchased either as a standalone policy or as an add-on cover to your existing policy. These covers do not come as a complimentary benefit on your standard health insurance policy. To get maternity cover you must get your health insurance policy customised accordingly. These covers include both the types of deliveries that are normal or caesarean. It also includes the cost of pre and post-hospitalization, vaccination, surgeon fees, nurse fees, doctor consultation, and much more. Usually, organisations and companies roll out maternity covers for their female employees to make sure that their health is not compromised due to monetary reasons during the maternity phase. 

Why Is Maternity Insurance Cover Important? 

With the rapid rise in inflation in the health sector, it has become stressful for people to get quality treatment in private hospitals. To compensate for such medical bills, health insuracne policies are provided to the individuals. Maternity covers come with added benefits to protect the woman while giving birth to a baby, as this phase is uncertain and can lead to any complication. 
Group insurance plans do not cover maternity benefits and therefore, they should be purchased separately. This cover ensures the well-being of the mother and the baby while delivering the newborn. 

Key Points To Keep In Mind While Buying A Maternity Cover 

Following are certain points that you should keep in mind to get the best maternity cover within your financial range: 

• Go through the fine print of the policy documents which mention the terms and conditions of the policy. 
• You must check the clauses like co-pay clause, waiting period, renewability benefits, room rent tariffs, and lot others. 
• Compare various plans online to choose the one that meets your requirements at a suitable price. 

Are Maternity Covers Included In A Standard Insurance Plan? 

To check if your health insurance policy includes the maternity cover benefits, thoroughly go through the terms and conditions of the policy purchased. Usually, insurers do not provide maternity benefits cover as a basic benefit in the standard health insurance policies. Therefore, policyholders have to purchase it either as a separate health insurance cover or they can add it as a top-up cover to their existing health insurance cover. Either way, the maternity cover comes with a wide range of coverage at an affordable price. These days the cost of hospitalisation while delivering a baby can range from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1.5 Lakh, therefore you must have maternity cover to reduce financial stress on your pocket and enjoy a new phase of your life. 

Inclusions In A Maternity Health Insurance Cover 

Following is the list of benefits that are commonly included in a maternity cover: 

• Normal and caesarean delivery expenses. 
• 30 days pre and 60 days post-hospitalization expenses while admitted in the hospital to give birth to a baby.
• Expenses incurred due to the medical treatment of the newborn baby. 
• Vaccination expenses of the newborn baby. 
• Cashless treatments in the network hospitals 
• Ambulance charges in case of an emergency are also covered. 

Exclusion In A Maternity Health Insurance Cover 

Following is the list of commonly excluded provisions in a maternity cover:

• Congenital diseases
• Pre-existing diseases; already pregnant while buying a maternity cover is also considered as a pre-existing disease. 
• Medicine costs and treatments related to infertility. 

Conclusion 

Having a maternity cover protects the mother and the newborn baby against any medical emergencies and also looks after any medical expenses that might occur due to complications. You must buy a maternity cover when planning a baby.  

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