A non-network hospital is a hospital that is not part of an insurance company's network of healthcare providers. In other words, the hospital is not contracted with the insurance company to provide cashless medical services to policyholders.
When a policyholder receives medical treatment at a non-network hospital, the policyholder has to make the payment and later claim for reimbursement.
In some health insurance company, the terms and conditions of a health insurance policy will specify whether the policy covers non-network hospitals and, if so, to what extent. Some policies may have a higher deductible or coinsurance for non-network hospitals, while others may not cover non-network hospitals at all.
Policyholders should also consider consulting with a healthcare professional or insurance agent to help them understand the details of the policy and choose the best option for their needs.
Most of the Health Insurance companies provide coverage on the basis of Cashless mode in network hospitals associated with the Insurance company.
However, the policyholders who are hospitalised in Non-network hospitals can later claim for reimbursement after submitting the necessary bills and documents in Original to the Health Insurance company.
In general, it is recommended that policyholders receive medical treatment at network hospitals wherever possible. Network hospitals are part of the insurance company's network of healthcare providers, and they have agreed to provide medical services to policyholders at a pre-negotiated rate.
As a result, policyholders may pay a lower out-of-pocket cost for the services when they receive treatment at a Network hospital and save their Sum insured.
Policyholders can find out which hospitals are part of their insurance company's network by checking the official website of the Health Insurance company or calling their customer service number.
Summing up
In summary, a non-network hospital is a hospital that is not part of an insurance company's network of healthcare providers.
In some cases, policyholders may need medical treatment at a non-network hospital, such as in an emergency. When a policyholder receives medical treatment at a non-network hospital, he/she can only opt for reimbursement after submitting the necessary Original documents to the insurance company.
One of the renowned Health Insurance providers, Star Health Insurance, is associated with a whopping 13000+ network hospitals. Hence, policyholders can avail of treatment at any network hospital in India with a hassle-free experience.
For more details regarding the Health Insurance policies and the network hospitals, visit the official website of Star Health Insurance company.