Is Orthopedic Surgery Covered by Health Insurance

Orthopedic surgery is a type of medical surgery performed on the musculoskeletal system of the body in case of an acute injury or trauma or other medical conditions. It is conducted to treat orthopedic conditions arising out of congenital & acquired disorders, chronic arthritis and acute injuries to the bones, ligaments, tendons and associated soft tissues.

Orthopedic surgeries can either be performed traditionally by open surgery or through arthroscopy. In case of open surgery, you may be required to get admitted to a hospital for a couple of days. However, arthroscopy is conducted as a day care procedure that requires hospitalization of less than 24 hours and allows you to go home on the same day.

Most Common Types of Orthopedic Surgeries

Orthopedic surgeries are mostly performed on the knee, spine, hip, shoulder, ankle, wrist and elbow. Some of the most common orthopedic surgical procedures are as follows:

• Joint arthroscopy
• Joint replacement surgery
• Bone fracture repair
• Soft tissue repair
• Osteotomy
• Spine fusion
• Arthroplasty
• Fusion of bones
• Debridement
• Revision joint surgery

In case you are suffering from an orthopedic health condition and are required to undergo orthopedic surgery, it may cost you dearly. This is because orthopedic surgeries are costly and can reduce your savings substantially. For example, joint replacement surgery can cost you a couple of lakh rupees. Moreover, diagnostic tests like MRI, X-RAY are also expensive and frequent visits to the orthopedic can also dig a hole in your pocket.

This brings us to the question of whether health insurance plans cover orthopaedic surgery or not. Let’s find out the answer.

Is Orthopedic Surgery Covered by Health Insurance?

Yes. Several health insurance plans in India provide coverage for orthopedic surgeries. Almost all health plans cover hospitalization costs that include various expenses, such as operation theater charges, cost of surgical appliances, doctor’s fee, room rent, nursing charges, anesthetist’s fee, cost of surgical implants, etc. A lot of health plans will also cover your pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization expenses, including the cost of physiotherapy.

Even if your orthopedic surgery is a day care procedure, you can get your insurance provider to cover its cost if you have a health insurance plan with day care treatment cover. Several health plans provide coverage for day care procedures. All you need to do is to check whether your policy covers day care procedures or not.

Health insurance plans may either cover the cost of an orthopedic surgery partially or completely. However, the extent of coverage depends entirely on the terms and conditions of your health insurance policy. Therefore, it is better to check with your insurance provider as soon as the surgery is scheduled to understand if the surgery cost will be covered and to what extent.

Conclusion

Orthopedic conditions can have severe implications if they are not treated at the right time. You may require orthopedic surgery to treat certain orthopedic conditions. The only way to protect your hard-earned savings from orthopedic surgery is to buy a health insurance policy that covers open orthopedic surgeries as well as day care procedures. Make sure to check the terms and conditions of your policy before raising a claim.

Also read - Understanding Health Insurance Policies At A Basic Level