Health Insurance Coverage for Alzheimer’s Patients

Key Health Insurance Considerations for Alzheimer’s Patients

Do you live with aged parents or older family members? 

If so, chances are you have probably noticed them struggling with specific day-to-day tasks such as remembering to take their medication, finding their keys or even remembering faces or places. 

While forgetfulness is a natural ageing process, there may be an underlying health condition in some cases.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition in which the brain cells slowly deteriorate and die. Alzheimer’s Disease affects a person’s capacity to interact socially. 

Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s may include speech impediments or unresponsiveness to surroundings which gradually could become fatal. Although there isn’t a specific treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease, there are several initiatives that you can take to manage Alzheimer’s.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

One of the primary symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive loss of memory. Other Alzheimer’s symptoms include:

• Loss of self-control
• Questions everything
• Social withdrawal
• Forget things
• Depression
• Gets lost in familiar places
• Forgets people’s names
• Mood changes
• Apathy
• Abrasiveness
• Irritability
• Delusions

Types of Alzheimer’s Disease

Most people with Alzheimer’s Disease eventually experience the same symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, difficulty performing previously familiar tasks, and difficulty making judgments. There are mainly two types of Alzheimer’s.

1.Early-onset Alzheimer’s -This type affects people who are younger than 65 years of age. 
2.Late-onset Alzheimer’s – Most cases of the disease affect people 65 and older. It could run in families, or it might not. 

Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease

There is no treatment for this condition yet. However, a patient with Alzheimer’s can experience some relief with preventive treatments and medication. 

Cholinesterase inhibitors

These medicines help sustain the chemical messenger that declines Alzheimer’s Disease. In addition to medication, changes in your lifestyle can help you manage your condition. 

A doctor might advise the following methods to assist you:

• Reducing confusion 
• Simplifying activities
• Using relaxation techniques 
• Getting enough rest
• Creating a relaxing environment

How does Health Insurance help people with Alzheimer’s Disease?

According to the Alzheimer’s Organisation of India, more than 4 million people in India have Alzheimer’s Disease in some way or other. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease increases as age progresses.

Moreover, the cost of managing Alzheimer’s Disease could put a significant strain on your finances. Because of this, it is wise to purchase a Health Insurance plan to manage the treatment costs.

Reasons to get a Health Insurance policy for Alzheimer’s Disease

Medical emergencies can happen at any time. So, here are three strong reasons to purchase Health Insurance for Alzheimer’s Disease.

1. Fight ageing diseases

While taking precautions can help prevent and control  diseases, dealing with an unexpected event financially can be difficult. By choosing a good health plan when you are young, you can avail regular medical examinations that can help you detect certain illnesses earlier and manage medical costs.  

2. Combat medical inflation

The price of treatment grows as medical science advances and the number of diseases rises. Costs for doctor consultations, diagnostic tests, ambulance fees, medications, room rent, etc., are also rising. You can avoid the burden of medical inflation and choose high-quality care without being concerned about the expenses.

3. Safeguard your savings

While dealing with a sudden illness can cause emotional pain and stress, it can also drain you financially. You can better manage your medical expenses by purchasing a good Health Insurance plan. 

Health Insurance Coverage of Alzheimer's in India

Trend Overview of Coverage

Though health insurance coverage for Alzheimer's patients remains nascent in India, most conventional health insurance policies remain acute in their focus and hardly cover chronic disease conditions like Alzheimer's. Still, avenues include:

Individual Health Insurance Plans. These plans will cover inpatient services and even some treatments and might not consider much care related to any treatment or activities of daily living that might be required of Alzheimer's patients.

Family Floater Plans: Again, this is an extension of the individual plan, wherein any number of family members can be covered in a single sum insured. A few may cover the medical expenses arising because of the disease, but the terms would need a close look.

Critical Illness Policies: There are some insurers that provide critical illness policies, and they may cover serious neurological disorders. Alzheimer's itself may not show up on their list of critical illnesses as such, but complication-arising illnesses may be covered.

Traditional health insurance may cover very little of the care related to Alzheimer's. However, some may include:

Hospitalization: A form of inpatient care that might be given at the time of an acute episode or complications.

Medications: Costs associated with prescribed medications to help manage symptoms or possibly slow disease progression, such as donepezil or memantine.

Diagnostic Tests: Costs of MRI, CT scans, or any other kind of test that helps in the assessment and monitoring of Alzheimer's.

Home Healthcare: Some policies may cover any home healthcare service, though this is highly variable among insurers.

Exclusions and Limitations

Alzheimer's-related exclusions and limitations are common to many health insurance plans:

Long-term Care: Most standard health insurance policies do not pay for long-term care-that is, nursing home stays or residential care facilities.

Pre-existing Conditions: If there is an existing diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease before taking on the insurance, then waiting time or exclusion of treatment regarding Alzheimer's may be levied by the company.

Alternative Therapies: Alternative medicine, such as acupuncture or holistic medicines, may not be covered by health insurance companies.

Specialized Insurance Options

Long-term health care insurance may be discussed with friends and family members if other conventional health insurance is inadequate for patients suffering from Alzheimer's:

1. Long-Term Care Insurance

Though not widely sold yet, some insurance companies already provide long-term care insurance. Such insurance packages cover extended services of care, including nursing home care and home health care.

2. Health Plans Senior Citizens

There are also health plans offered by different insurance companies that cater specifically to senior citizens. Such plans might offer more benefits and coverage choices helpful to those with chronic diseases like Alzheimer's.

3. Critical Illness Riders

You can add an important rider to your existing health policy as a serious illness rider who will cover you in case of serious conditions such as Alzheimer's. Such riders help you deal greatly with the costs of hospitalization and other general medical expenses.

Star Critical Illness Multipay Insurance Policy provides lump-sum benefits on the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease only after 90 days of commencement of cover under the policy.  The insured person should have survived up to 15 days from the date of diagnosis of such a major disease. For complete information on the policy, read the policy clause.
 

• Covers loss of speech and ability to communicate because of Alzheimer’s
• Covers muscle weakness and paralysis that arises as a result of Alzheimer’s Disease
• You are eligible for cashless treatment at over 13,000 Network Hospitals 

Before getting Health Insurance, ensure that you understand the terms and conditions of the policy, the permanent exclusions, waiting periods for particular conditions and pre-existing diseases and sub-limits imposed for some of the covered diseases and treatments.

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