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360-degree coverage, 365 days – Pre & Post Hospitalization!

You would be aware that health insurance coverage needs to be comprehensive which protects you 365 days in case treatment is required. Except for accidents, every ailment needs a visit to the doctor for consultation, tests, X-rays, ECG, MRI, Blood test etc. before actual hospitalization. Even in case of operations/ surgeries pre-operative and post-operative care and medication is needed. You need to check that your insurance policy provides with the same.

Post-hospitalization expenses refer to the medical cost incurred after the patient gets discharged after the treatment for the diagnosed disease. Most health insurance policies cover these costs anywhere between 45-90 days after the discharge date from the hospital.

For a critical illness like cancer, heart or brain-related ailments, kidney transplant etc. or even the latest pandemic Covid19, pre and post care are required for longer periods. Most policies cover post-care for 45-180 days, what if care and medication are required for longer periods?

No one is mentally prepared for handling critical illness, but financially you can be by opting for proper health insurance which provided 360-degree coverage, 365 days.

Having said that, as Singaporeans have the option to go for an Integrated Shield Plan* that gives them 365 days of post-hospitalization coverage. There are multiple choices in the saturated integrated shield plan market, but there are few plans which offer you long post-hospitalization coverage in Singapore.

Why IP?   

• MediShield Life covers hospitalization and surgeries, but lacks coverage for pre- and post-hospitalization costs. IPs help bridge that gap.
• Furthermore, MediShield Life has a total claim limit of $100,000 a year, which may be low considering the cost of healthcare in Singapore. With an IP, you can extend that to as much as $2 million.
• Even though IPs are provided by private insurers, you can use Medisave to pay for them (up to annual withdrawal limits).

The duration of post-hospitalization coverage becomes a very important factor when it comes to choosing an integrated shield plan, especially for critical illnesses.

Owing to high medical expenses, these expenses can quickly exhaust your savings if you are inadequately covered. Hence, before getting a health insurance policy, it is essential to check the coverage for pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization expenses provided by your policy.

Pre-hospitalization payments refer to the medical cost incurred before the patient gets hospitalized due to the same disease. Post-hospitalization expenses refer to the medical cost incurred after the patient gets discharged after the treatment for the diagnosed disease.

In case the claim gets accepted, all your medical expenses will be taken care of by the insurer company. The costs involved in treatment before hospitalization will be covered as part of the pre-hospitalization payments. The prices of medicines, tests, and doctor fees after discharge will be reimbursed under the post-hospitalization expenses. ​

Hence, it is important that you have post hospitalization coverage round the year.

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