If you see doctors frequently, you should opt for a healthcare plan with OPD coverage

New Delhi: Traditionally, health insurance companies used to deliberately write their health care policies so that any treatment that a patient frequently required was excluded from coverage. Various studies have repeatedly shown that a large proportion of healthcare expenditure is incurred in outpatient services (DPO) treatments. But the most traditional health insurance plans did not cover the cost of these treatments. However, with the changing times, new health insurance policies are being launched that provide coverage for OPD treatments.

Some insurance companies offer this coverage as an endorsement. A few stand-alone OPD covers are also available. Policies with OPD covers have grown in popularity after the three waves of Covid-19.

The question then is why insurance companies have traditionally sought to avoid adding OPD plans and why it is in the interests of policyholders to add the same in their healthcare plans.

What is OPD treatment?

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Outpatient service or OPD treatment is where the treatment or diagnosis of a certain type of disease is performed without admitting the patient to the health center. So basically it involves the patient going to the clinic or one of the doctors consulting rooms and getting treatment.

Why Insurers Avoid Covering OPD Treatments

OPD treatments are frequent in nature and include treatment of some basic conditions like seasonal fever, infections, regular checkups or follow-up consultations with doctors. Therefore, many insurance companies exclude OPD treatments from policy coverage as it comes at a huge cost to them.

Why the inclusion of OPD is a must in insurance coverage

Experts are of the opinion that due to rising medical costs and increasing reliance on online consultations, the inclusion of OPD coverage is very important. Having OPD coverage is important for policyholders, especially when they know regular visits to doctors are needed due to a pre-existing condition, experts say, adding that having such coverage also gives you peace of mind.