Enjoy Hassle-free Hospitalisation with Cashless Everywhere Facility

Earlier, healthcare services were primarily accessible within limited hospitals listed by your insurer as their network hospitals. Moreover, for non-network hospitals, individuals had to go through a time-consuming reimbursement process.

However, with the introduction of the “Cashless Everywhere” initiative by the General Insurance Council of India (GIC), the health insurance sector has undergone a significant transformation. 

To know more about this initiative, please give this article a read as it involves all the basic details relating to the Cashless Health Insurance facility. 

What is a “Cashless Everywhere” Facility?

Cashless Everywhere/Anywhere is a great initiative launched on January 25, 2024, by the General Insurance Council (GIC). This initiative was incorporated in collaboration with all General and Health Insurers in India and is aimed at transforming the health insurance industry.

Under this initiative, medical insurance policyholders can enjoy 100% cashless treatment at any hospital nationwide. Yes, you read that right! May it be a network hospital or a non-network hospital of your insurer, this facility will allow you to get treated in any of the hospitals, but only if certain terms and conditions are met. These terms and conditions may vary from insurer to insurer and provided the hospital of your choice is not in the blacklisted hospital list of your health insurance company.

To be more precise, Cashless Anywhere eliminates the traditional constraints of hospital networks. Instead of being limited to specific hospitals, policyholders can now choose any hospital in the country for their treatment without worrying about whether it's part of a predefined network. This flexibility grants you the freedom to select a hospital based on your preferences.

Cashless Medical Insurance - “Before” and “After” 

Before, insurance companies only had tie-ups with a few hospitals, like maybe a couple thousand or up to 5,000. But now, things have gotten way better. Fast forward to today, the Cashless Everywhere facility opens the door to a huge network of 30,000 to 40,000 hospitals. This is like going from having a few options to a whole ecosystem of healthcare choices. 

Features of Cashless Everywhere 

The following are the key features of the Cashless Insurance facility:

• Freedom of Hospital Choice: Cashless Everywhere allows you to choose any hospital for your medical treatment that suits you best.
• Nationwide Accessibility: This initiative covers the entire country. So, whether you're in your hometown or traveling to a different city, you can enjoy cashless treatment as long as the hospital accepts it.
• Extensive Hospital Network: Cashless Anywhere opens the door to an ecosystem of 30 to 40,000 hospitals, which offers ample options for your healthcare needs.
• Simple and Convenient: Lastly, the cashless health insurance initiative has simplified the healthcare process and made it easy for policyholders like you to access treatment without worrying about network limitations.

How Does the “Cashless Everywhere” Work?

When you need to use the “Cashless Everywhere” facility for your health insurance, here's what you need to do:

1. Inform Your Insurance Provider

• If your hospital stay is planned, inform your insurance company at least 48 hours before you check into the hospital. Also, please note that when informing about a planned hospitalisation, make sure you provide the following essential details:
  • Patient's Name
  • Policy Number or UHID of the Patient
  • Doctor's Name and Qualifications
  • Hospital Name
  • Hospital Address
  • Hospital City
  • Hospital Contact Person Name
  • Hospital Contact Person Number
  • Basic Medical Information
  • Details of the medical/ surgical treatment
    
    
• In case of an emergency, inform the insurer about your hospital admission within 48 hours of hospitalisation. 

2. Terms and Conditions Apply

• The General Insurance Council (GIC) emphasises that the health insurance claim will be accepted on the basis of terms and conditions outlined in your medical insurance policy.
• The availability of the Cashless Hospitalisation facility will be in line with the guidelines set by your insurance company.

In short, if you're going to the hospital, you must inform your insurance provider either before or after, depending on whether it's a planned or emergency situation. Also, remember that the Cashless Insurance benefit will kick in if you follow the rules laid out in your health insurance policy and stick to your insurer's guidelines. 

Benefits of Opting for Cashless Everywhere Hospitalisation

The perks of choosing cashless health insurance are as follows:

• Stress-Free Recovery: Choosing Cashless Everywhere lets you focus solely on your healing and general well-being.
• No Upfront Payments: Not having to worry about upfront payments is another benefit of Cashless Anywhere. In contrast to traditional health insurance policies, which could demand payments or a deposit at the time of discharge, Cashless Everywhere eliminates such out-of-pocket costs.
• Simplified Process: By choosing Cashless Everywhere hospitalisation, you can be confident that you won't have to deal with the hassle of a complex reimbursement process.
• Extensive Hospital Network: Cashless Everywhere provides access to more than 40,000 hospital networks nationwide.
• Simple Communication with Insurer: By choosing Cashless Everywhere, you may stay away from the headache of arranging for reimbursement from your insurer. The direct settlement of costs simplifies the communication with the insurance provider. 

What to Keep in Mind?

Below are a few things that one must keep in mind while availing of the “Cashless Everywhere” facility:

• Hospitals with a capacity of 15 beds and registration with the respective state health authorities under the Clinical Establishment Act are eligible to provide cashless hospitalisation.
• Be aware that the availability of the Cashless Everywhere facility can vary based on individual hospital terms and conditions and their acceptance of the cashless facility policy. It's advisable to reach out to your insurance provider beforehand.
• Before admission, it's important to check the insurer's blacklisted or excluded hospital list. Note that in cases of hospitalisation, whether planned or emergency, medical insurance claims will not be processed through any means if the hospital is on the blacklist of the health insurance company. 
• The processed claim amount will adhere strictly to the limits and other terms and conditions outlined in your health insurance policy.

Conclusion

Cashless Everywhere is not just a health insurance initiative, instead, it's a new way to make healthcare easier. The initiative lets you take charge of your medical care without any hassle. Your choices are important, and Cashless Everywhere makes the road to recovery easier and more convenient than ever. 

So, don’t wait much, buy health insurance for yourself and your family today from InsuranceDekho and enjoy the benefits of stress-free hospitalisation in case of health-related emergencies. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q 1. What is the "Cashless Everywhere" Facility?

Ans. The Cashless Everywhere initiative gives policyholders the flexibility to receive 100% cashless treatment at any hospital nationwide, breaking free from the limitations of health insurance network hospitals.

Q 2. How has Cashless Everywhere changed healthcare accessibility?

Ans. Unlike traditional models with ties to a limited number of hospitals, Cashless Everywhere opens doors to a vast network of hospitals. This will provide policyholders with a wide range of choices for medical care. 

Q 3. What are the benefits of opting for Cashless Everywhere hospitalisation?

Ans. The benefits of choosing Cashless Everywhere involve stress-free recovery, eliminating upfront payments, and simplifying the reimbursement process.