Health Insurance for Cervical Cancer

What Does Cervical Cancer Treatment Cost in India?

The cervical cancer treatment cost is extremely high in India. It requires several rounds of chemotherapy, external beam radiation therapy, and surgeries including trachelectomy (removal of cervix) and hysterectomy (removal of uterus and cervix), depending on your cervical cancer stage.

On average, cervical cancer treatment costs in India can range between ₹3 lakh and ₹15 lakh. While early-stage cervical cancer treatment can cost between ₹2 lakh and ₹5 lakh, advanced-stage cervical cancer can increase the treatment cost to ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh.

Take a look at various cervical cancer treatment expenses:

Note: The above-mentioned costs are estimates and may vary depending on the city, hospital and the severity of your condition.

With a health insurance plan, you can manage these high treatment costs of cervical cancer and get cashless treatment options, lowering the risk of financial burden.

Does Health Insurance Cover Every Stage of Cervical Cancer?

Yes. There are several cancer insurance plans designed especially to cover different stages of cervical cancer (early or advanced stage), after the completion of the waiting period. However, not all health insurance plans automatically cover every stage of cervical cancer. The coverage depends entirely on the policy.

For instance, critical illness insurance plans cover cervical cancer treatment, but only for advanced or life-threatening stages.

Which Type of Health Insurance is Best for Cervical Cancer?

A comprehensive health insurance plan, a cancer insurance plan, and a critical illness plan cover cervical cancer treatment costs. However, the best medical insurance for you depends on the severity of your condition and your coverage requirements.

Take a look at the table below to understand which type of health insurance can be best for cervical cancer treatment:

Note: The details mentioned above may vary depending on the health insurance policy for cervical cancer.

If you do not have cervical cancer yet, standard medical insurance or family health insurance plans can be useful. It can provide you with coverage for cervical cancer treatment, including in-patient hospitalisation, surgery and day care procedures.

However, if you are at high risk of cervical cancer due to family history or any other reason, a specialised cancer insurance or critical illness insurance can serve as an additional protection layer.

What is Covered by Health Insurance for Cervical Cancer?

Health insurance for cervical cancer may cover the following:

• Hospitalisation expenses
• Day care treatment
• Pre-hospitalisation medical expenses
• Post-hospitalisation medical expenses
• OPD charges
• Advanced therapies such as immunotherapy
• Surgeries including hysterectomy and trachelectomy
• Ambulance charges
• Second opinion
• Teleconsultations
• Follow-up care

Note: The exact coverage of your health insurance policy for cervical cancer depends on the severity of the condition and the policy terms.

What is Not Covered by Health Insurance for Cervical Cancer?

The following expenses are not covered under health insurance for cervical cancer:

• Cancer directly or indirectly caused by sexually transmitted diseases, HIV or AIDS
• Unproven treatments
• Non-allopathic treatments
• Treatments taken outside India

Note: The exact list of exclusions varies depending on the health insurance policy for cervical cancer and its conditions.

Benefits of Buying Health Insurance for Cervical Cancer

Having health insurance for cervical cancer can be beneficial in the following ways:

1. Protection Against Expensive Cancer Treatment

   Cervical cancer treatment requires multiple rounds of diagnostic tests, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. As treatment includes a combination of various procedures, the cost can reach up to ₹15 lakh or more. With health insurance plans, you can protect yourself from the financial burden of the treatment and focus on getting better.

2. Get Lump Sum Payout Benefit

   With cancer insurance and a critical illness plan, you can receive lump sum payment on the diagnosis of the disease, depending on the policy terms. You can utilise this payout to cover not just your treatment costs but also loss of income.

3. Cancer Relapse Cover

   Some cancer insurance plans offer financial protection when cancer returns after you are declared cancer-free or the disease goes into remission. Thus, it protects you from the treatment costs of unexpected relapses if cervical cancer recurs.

4. Tax Benefits

   When you pay the premium for health insurance for cervical cancer or a cancer insurance plan for yourself or your family, you qualify for tax deductions under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act.

Why Should You Buy Health Insurance for Cervical Cancer Before Diagnosis?

Buying health insurance before diagnosis of cervical cancer is crucial for the following reasons:

1. Overcome Waiting Period

   Most health insurance or cancer insurance plans have an initial waiting period of 30 days and up to 3 years of waiting period for pre-existing illnesses. But if you buy cancer insurance or critical illness plans before a cervical cancer diagnosis, you may have already served the waiting period and can directly claim treatment costs to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.

2. Avoid PED Rejections

   If you purchase a mediclaim policy after getting diagnosed with cervical cancer, insurers might outright reject the claim or deny coverage for treatments. However, if you buy a critical illness policy or medical insurance before the diagnosis of cervical cancer, your policy will cover the treatment and diagnostic expenses if you get diagnosed with the disease later.

3. Lower Premiums

   When you buy a health insurance policy for cervical cancer early in life (when you are healthy and less prone to cancer), you will pay significantly lower premiums. This happens because a person with cancer is considered a high-risk applicant and may be charged a higher premium by the insurance company.

Can You Buy Health Insurance After Being Diagnosed with Cervical Cancer?

Yes, you can buy health insurance after you are diagnosed with cervical cancer. However, insurance options will be limited and subject to your condition. An active cancer treatment is almost universally excluded as a pre-existing condition. For most insurers, if you already have a pre-existing cervical cancer, you are a high-risk applicant who is more likely to file claims.

Besides, if you get standard health insurance while actively going through cervical cancer treatment, you have to serve a longer waiting period and pay a higher health insurance premium. Your claim application will also be strictly scrutinised by the underwriting team.

How to Choose the Best Health Insurance for Cervical Cancer?

To choose the best health insurance plans for cervical cancer treatment, consider the following:

• Type of Policy – Choose a medical insurance that provides coverage for all stages of cervical cancer.
• Sum Insured – Buy a mediclaim policy that has a higher sum insured to cover your cervical cancer treatment. A sum insured of ₹20 lakh to ₹25 lakh is usually recommended.
• Coverage for Modern Treatment – Make sure your health plan provides coverage for modern treatments such as immunotherapy.
• Lower Waiting Period – Opt for health insurance that offers a shorter waiting period or an option to reduce it.
• Lump Sum Payout – Make sure to choose a health plan for cervical cancer that pays a lump sum benefit.
• Policy Inclusions – Check if chemotherapy, hysterectomy, radiation therapy and cancer diagnostic tests are covered.
• Policy Renewal Option – A renewal option on your health or cancer insurance plans can be helpful.
• Cashless Hospital Network – Pick an insurer with a strong network of cancer-specialised hospitals, especially near you.
• Minimal Survival Period – Most critical illness plans come with a survival period of up to 30 days. Opt for a plan that comes with minimal or no survival period.