Health Insurance For TB Patients

Health insurance is vital for every individual and therefore, has become common among the people. People shield their and their loved ones’ lives by investing in a health insurance policy as it can protect them from future medical expenses and save a huge amount of their financial savings. Along with the normal people who buy health insurance covers for unforeseen events, it is crucial for individuals suffering from pre-existing diseases or the ones who have a medical history of chronic diseases. People suffering from cancer, tumors, kidney ailments, tuberculosis, etc. must have health insurance coverage as they are at a larger risk of getting hospitalized and seeking medical treatments. 

People suffering from tuberculosis or TB have to go through a long-term high-cost treatment which drains their entire financial savings. Patients with TB must be insured under critical illness plans of health insurance covers to ensure quality treatment of the patient at an affordable price in the private hospitals. Tuberculosis is a highly contagious and deadly disease that can spread all over the patient’s body in a matter of months and therefore requires immediate medical attention.    

About Tuberculosis 

Tuberculosis is an air-borne lung disease that can spread all over the patient’s body. It is caused by the bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is one of the top ten reasons for death on the planet according to the World Health Organization. It is a life-threatening disease and is contagious. Following is the list of symptoms of TB: 

• Persistent cough 
• Chest pain 
• Weight loss 
• Fatigue 
• Fever 
• Weakness 
• Appetite loss 

If any of the above-mentioned set of symptoms are experienced by an individual then they must get themselves tested for tuberculosis. Lungs are more vulnerable to get affected first in a TB patient and later, the other body parts contract the disease. Tuberculosis can be prevented by vaccine and therefore, vaccines for protection from TB are provided to children. Unlike other bacterial diseases that take weeks to get treated, tuberculosis patient takes six to nine months to get completely cured of the disease after taking a combination of medicines without discontinuation. 

Health Insurance Plan For Tuberculosis 

TB is considered one of the critical illnesses and therefore is covered under the critical illness plans available in the market. A person suffering from TB gets weak over time and needs immediate medical attention once diagnosed with the disease. The hospitalization and medical treatment for this disease take place for months and can cost a fortune due to the increased inflation in the health sector. Thus, to protect yourself or your loved ones from this deadly disease and ensure quality treatment at an affordable cost, you must invest in a health insurance cover including tuberculosis. Following is the list of coverage provided for TB under health insurance plans: 

• Cost of hospitalization like in-patients costs, pre and post-hospitalization, etc are covered under such plans. 
• Doctors’ consultation fees and daily room rent charges are also taken care of under the health insurance plans covering tuberculosis. 
• Expenses for the treatment like ICU charges, medication expenses, costs of various tests, etc. are paid for under the cover. 
• Diagnostic costs that can incur before the hospitalization are also included under the health insurance plans for tuberculosis. 

Diagnosing Tuberculosis 

Tuberculosis treatment takes time unlike most bacterial diseases and its hospitalization can cost a lot to the policyholder. Let us look at the series of tests that are conducted on the patient suffering from TB: 

• Acid-Fast Bacillus Smear and Culture 
• Blood tests for TB infection 
• X-Rays for chest 
• TB Screening 
• Tuberculin Skin Testing  

To protect yourself from the attack of TB, you must vaccinate yourself with a BCG vaccine. This disease can be fatal and life-threatening and therefore, you must take preventive measures to avoid such diseases. 

Conclusion 

A health insurance policy for tuberculosis will support the patient financially and emotionally to overcome the hurdles in the treatment and hospitalization. It gives a sense of relief to the patients and makes sure that they receive quality treatment without being affected by the monetary problems. 
 

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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.