The health card, also known as the Bhagirathi card, can be used to make payments at hospitals and healthcare institutions across India. If you do not have this card, you might have trouble getting admitted to a hospital or buying any medicines or diagnostic tests done.
In fact, without this card, there’s no way you can avail of any treatment in an Indian hospital or clinic! Therefore, if you are an Indian citizen who has yet to get this card, it is highly recommended that you do so as soon as possible! Here are reasons why the health card is so important in India…
What is a health card?
A health card is a card issued by hospitals and doctors to verify that a person has received free treatment. It also records what was paid for and what amount was reimbursed for whatever services were obtained. Health cards are important for people with low incomes who don’t have enough money to pay for all their medical bills.
In fact, everyone should carry one of these cards—even if you have health insurance—because you never know when you might need it! Here are some other reasons why health cards are useful: 1) Health cards can help cut costs associated with visits to multiple healthcare providers and reduce expenses related to prescription medications.
How does health card work?
The idea of getting cash benefits while keeping your regular job might sound like a fairy tale, but that’s exactly what you can do with health insurance coverage. It turns out there are two basic types of health cards: private (also called individual or consumer-directed) and public (also called group plans). Both of these options offer health care coverage—but each comes with different pros and cons.
Private health insurance gives you choice about your doctors, coverages and co-pays. Public plans, on the other hand, offer lower monthly premiums at a higher deductible.
Top benefits of health card holder
You are entitled to free medical treatment from a panel of specialists like cardiologist, neurologist and many more which help you get high quality care for lesser money. You also save on time and energy because if you have an appointment with your doctor, he will be aware that he has another patient waiting for him. Since there is no wait time, you can expect quick appointments.
You don’t have to pay for any surgery or any test that is done on public hospitals but are covered under government health schemes. You do not have to pay anything at all when your family members get treated by visiting doctors in private hospitals as they will take care of it all instead.
Health Card Online Process
Last year, Delhi-based health tech startup QorQL launched a chatbot named Quincy that can help people manage and use their health insurance. The chatbot was created to make it easier for policyholders to learn about their policies, renew, edit and manage them. It also provides notifications of claims due and amount paid out, tracking medical expenditure etc. With over 15 million offline transactions happening annually via human intervention
(1) we saw an opportunity in automating these manual processes using machine learning
(2) and natural language processing capabilities
(3) said Apurva Joshi, co-founder of QorQL.
Health Card Registration
The government of India started a new policy where all card holders are required to register for health cards, so you might be wondering what a health card is and why it’s so important. Below, we’ll go over some of these reasons, including how you can obtain a health card for yourself or your family.
As part of a program with non-profit organization Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), each state in India offers each child born two opportunities: an early childhood health card that covers essential vaccines and drugs under preventive care until they turn 12 years old; and an adolescent health card up to 18 years old. In addition to vaccination coverage and medications, children on the ECHC get several other benefits as well.
Who can apply health card?
Individuals and families who have been given a Permanent Resident status, refugees and refugee claimants can get a health card. Also included are individuals who have filed an application for permanent residence under humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Individuals or families are also eligible if they have applied for Canadian citizenship under Citizenship Act.
Refugees, immigrants, visitors and others in Canada can apply for a healthcare card but there are certain considerations before applying: you may only get coverage if you can prove your identity; it may be impossible to acquire certain services that aren’t covered by provincial health care plans like prescription drugs or dental visits; or it might not be possible to use provincial health insurance to cover costs while visiting another province.
8 reasons why the health card is so important in India?
There are a lot of people out there who do not have health cards for various reasons. But, you should know that it is one of the most important documents which you need to keep with yourself always. A health card is a document which helps prove your identity and also entitles you to get medical services at nominal rates. It serves as an identity proof as well as provides a certified address proof as well.
1) Reduces treatment cost
In case of any unforeseen health issue, one may require immediate medical attention. Therefore, paying a few thousand rupees per visit can add up quickly. By purchasing a health card and using it to avail treatment from private hospitals, you will be able to save a lot of money on each visit.
Also, if you are diagnosed with a condition that requires chronic care, it will help you reduce treatment cost considerably by paying one lump sum for all treatments that occur over the course of your illness. You can purchase health cards online or at any state-owned hospital.
2) Cheaper medicines
Prescription drugs are often cheaper when you have a valid health card. You’ll also need to carry your health card when visiting a doctor or hospital; failure to present it can result in higher charges. Without a card, you may also not be eligible for free screening and diagnostic tests. So, make sure to take care of yourself—you’re doing it for your wallet!
3) Lesser registration cost
Unlike private hospitals, which may charge you anywhere between Rs. 50 and Rs. 1,000 per registration depending on your health condition and length of stay, a government hospital charges Rs. 30 to register with them. This gives peace of mind as there are no hidden costs that you might have to bear after a critical or fatal disease has been diagnosed.
4) No need to give multiple x-rays
One of my biggest issues with Indian doctors and hospitals is that you have to give multiple X-rays for something. There’s no way to read them, even if they’re digital, unless you know exactly what you’re looking for.
As a doctor who wants to be thorough, I’d rather make sure I see everything. You may feel like it’s not a big deal to get extra X-rays done, but having another 5 or 6 (just for your head) means tons of radiation exposure!
5) Greater awareness about health issues
In recent years, awareness about preventive health care has grown considerably in India. A large part of that can be attributed to a number of government-sponsored schemes, which have helped bring down infant mortality and increased life expectancy.
Now that many Indians are more concerned about their well-being, they’re looking for ways to stay healthy and protect themselves from preventable diseases. Insurance companies have responded by launching a number of schemes, including health cards.
6) Renewals are free!
The health card gives you access to low-cost checkups, immunizations, and prescriptions. Renewals are free, so long as you have your original health card and a valid photo ID. It’s important to keep renewing your card on time to continue receiving these benefits!
If you find that you’re going often to certain clinics and pharmacies—or if you think a chronic condition is developing—it might be helpful to contact your doctor about becoming part of their active patient list. That way, you can have an established patient-physician relationship and won’t need to take care of everything at walk-in clinics or pharmacies.
7) Health care facilities become more accessible
Through a health card, you will have access to affordable medical facilities from a variety of doctors and hospitals. For many people, it may be difficult to afford expensive medical bills and procedures without insurance or a health card.
However, an affordable healthcare system can often save more money in total than spending everything on one large bill that could arise at any time. In addition, having insurance could give you peace of mind knowing that your family will be taken care of no matter what happens.
8) Helps get the most out of insurance schemes and government programs.
The government has introduced a lot of medical insurance schemes for both employees and individuals. If you have an active health card, you can get full coverage from any hospital, so that your insurance company doesn’t have to deal with paperwork or reimbursements for long periods of stay in hospitals.
Additionally, it also helps if you want to avail any medical assistance from government hospitals. With a health card in hand, there’s no need to waste time and money on handling paperwork and haggling with doctors on bills, allowing you to focus more on getting better faster.
Conclusion
Once you become a part of any govt. plan, it becomes very difficult to leave that particular plan. For example, if you have joined some health program and once your financial situation improves, you want to be out of that program; then you will have to pay penalty and not everyone has enough money to pay penalty.
So, instead of opting for a government run health program and risk losing your hard earned money; why not get yourself insured?
