Importance Of Network Hospitals When Buying Health Insurance

 What are the primary and critical questions people ask when purchasing a health insurance plan? What is the coverage amount, how much premium do I have to pay, which illnesses are covered, etc., right? One crucial point to be considered, which may be overlooked, is the list of hospitals that the insurance companies have tie-ups with, for the treatment of medical conditions covered by the health insurance policy. Commonly known as network hospitals, this is a complete index of various medical centers, clinics, hospitals, and diagnostic centers that are associated with the insurance company, and can be visited for treatment as per your health requirement.

Cashless Facility: At face value, knowing the list of network hospitals affiliated with the insurer might not seem all that important. After all, every hospital that addresses a medical condition will admit you for treatment. The main reason for identifying the network hospitals list is to avail cashless hospitalization benefits. This means that if the treatment facility features in the list of network hospitals with the insurance company, then the insurer settles the bills directly with the hospital, and you don’t have to pay anything upfront. 

Any situation concerning a health treatment, whether planned or unexpected, creates a sense of anxiety and distress. With cashless hospitalization, you needn’t worry about pre-organizing or hurriedly arranging funds to pay the hospital, and can instead concentrate your efforts towards recovery. Your financial liquidity doesn’t get disturbed with having to make immediate payments. Some network hospitals even offer comparatively lower costs of treatment compared to non-network hospitals. Network hospitals provide cashless medical assistance upon showing your Health Insurance Identification Card, which mentions policy details, for prompt identification. The claims process is also relatively easier since it is cashless with a connected hospital. 

You can get treated at a non-network hospital, too, but the procedure is more tedious – you have to clear all the hospital bills out-of-pocket, submit claims with invoices and other documentation for reimbursement, which takes a bit longer to get cleared, and is subject to policy terms and conditions. Besides, there are some hospitals that are black-listed by certain insurers, and they do not accept any claims related to these hospitals. 

When buying a health insurance policy, opt for an insurance company that has a wide range of network hospitals within your own city and location, as well as in other cities. It will certainly be more convenient to have multiple options for hospitals within your area, and it will be comforting to know that your hospitalization process will be less cumbersome, should you need urgent medical assistance while traveling or shifting residence. 

SANA.INSURE is a digital health insurance platform that offers advice on the best health insurance policy for you and your family, based on the premium budgets, the sum assured required, type of health plan sought, etc. We offer a complete list of product features, benefits, and offers that you can easily view and compare across few options, to arrive at the best choice. Sana.insure has a unique and exclusive search option that allows you to check whether your preferred medical service centre or hospital features in the hospital network list of insurance companies or not. Sana.Insure also offers end-to-end assistance with the claims process, whether cashless or otherwise. 

Wish you a healthy and happy life!