Things to Consider Before Buying Health Insurance for Organ Transplantation

In India, nearly 5,00,000 people die every year due to the unavailability of organ donors or suitable matches, according to the data released by the Government of India. But with an increased number of organ donations and the success rate of major organ transplant surgeries due to medical advancements, the overall situation has improved. However, if you do not have a health insurance plan, you can exhaust all your savings while paying for organ transplantation, a process by which a person’s life can be saved who faces critical health issues due to damaged or missing organs. Leading health insurance companies provide critical illness plans under which individuals can get coverage for expenses related to the organ transplantation procedure.

But what are those things that an individual should keep in mind before choosing health insurance for organ transplantation? In this article, we will discuss the same. Keep reading!

What is an Organ Donor Cover?

Organ transplantation, which is necessary for individuals facing life-threatening conditions, happens with an organ getting removed from the donor’s body and transplanted into the recipient’s body.  Simply put, organ donor cover is a feature that insurance companies provide in a critical illness policy. With these features, individuals can get coverage up to a specific limit for the organ donor expenses incurred by them.

One of the main reasons behind the unavailability of donors is the risk they face and expenses on the procedures that can range around INR 50,000 – 35 lakh. But insurance companies have started to acknowledge the problem, and now individuals can enjoy inbuilt coverage for expenses related to organ transplantation.

What are the Different Types of Organ Transplantation Expenses?

One of the most important things you should check before buying health insurance for organ transplantation is the several expenses related to it. These expenses can be on medicines, expensive drugs, ambulance charges, etc. With a suitable health insurance plan, expenses incurred by both the persons – donors and recipients – can be covered without any hassle. However, go through the policy wordings and see whether it covers all organ transplantation expenses.

We are showing all the major expenses incurred during organ transplantation. Have a look!

Compatibility Test Expenses

For organ transplantation, healthcare professionals look to find the right compatibility between donors and recipients. Without the right match, the process cannot move further, hence it is important to know about the same. To ensure the same, the donor needs to undergo a few compatibility tests with the receiver’s anatomy. Several factors need to be taken care of when finding the right transplantation. But this process involves a lot of expenditure.

Pre-hospitalization Expenses

Once the organ donor is found compatible with the receiver, the person who has to undergo the transplantation needs to be hospitalized where he or she will be brought to a stable medical condition with proper medication. This procedure is important, otherwise different complexities may arise during the procedure. All the expenses incurred during this phase are known as pre-hospitalization expenses, and a health insurance policy for organ transplantation covers all these expenses.

Hospitalization Expenses

Hospitalization expenses incurred during organ transplantation include the fees of a medical practitioner or consulting doctor, nurses, room rent, etc. When choosing health insurance for organ transplantation, check whether the policy covers this or not, otherwise you will need to bear these expenses by yourself. If it provides the cover, see the extent of coverage too.

Expenses for the Organ Transplantation Surgery

Now coming to the most important part of organ transplantation which is the surgery itself where the organ will be transplanted into the receiver from a donor. These expenses will include the costs incurred on surgery and surgeon’s fees.

Expenses during Monitoring and Post-surgery Care & Recovery

After transplantation is done, a donor may feel a few complications. Considering this, both donors and receivers need to stay in the hospital for monitoring purposes for an extended period. Apart from this, they may also need to undergo postoperative therapy for complete recovery if required. Expenses incurred during this period will also be covered under a health insurance plan.

Post-Hospitalization Expenses ( During Rectification of Post Surgery Complications)

Any expenses incurred on the rectification of any complication will also be covered by a health insurance plan. Apart from this, donors may still need to continue taking the medication after the discharge.

Now that you have understood the different types of expenses on organ transplantation procedures, you can choose a suitable health insurance. When choosing the same, keep an eye on the sub-limits for different expenses. It is important to check the limits and extent to which your organ donor will be covered in case of organ transplantation. That will help you arrange the uncovered amount, if any, and ensure a hassle-free transplantation.