Critical Illness for Aorta Graft Surgery
Critical illness health insurance covers are specifically crafted to offer insurance coverage for pre-determined debilitating ailments which usually bear very high treatment costs and require considerable recovery time.
If any one of the family members gets affected by any of those ailments, it can be very destructive for the entire family and prove to be financially quite burdensome, especially in the long run. The affected individual becomes unable to work and the family expenses shoot up significantly to handle the treatment and recovery costs.
Critical illness for aorta graft surgery
We are all aware of the fact that the heart is one of the major organs in the human body. It pumps deoxygenated blood and purifies it, spreading oxygenated blood throughout the entire body, utilising the nervous system. This is all very intricate and complicated procedure.
The heart has been designed in certain specific components and divisions to ensure smooth functioning.
But due to certain specific reasons, this functioning gets hampered. It can be well understood that this will have gross adverse effects on the human body.
To restore the heart’s smooth functioning, you might need to undergo aorta graft surgery, depending on the circumstances. We can well comprehend that this is quite a complicated surgical procedure.
In terms of health insurance, aorta graft surgery falls under the critical illness category, due to its complex nature. Therefore, no normal health insurance coverage is enough to provide coverage for this particular surgical treatment procedure.
You need to maintain specific critical illness coverage for aorta graft surgery to enjoy health insurance coverage and protect your finances.
Importance of critical illness insurance for aorta graft surgery
You must note that any critical illness cover is a specific benefit plan, unlike any traditional indemnity-based health insurance products. As a policyholder, you are eligible to receive a lump sum payout from your insurer if you get diagnosed with symptoms for the necessity of aortic grafting.
If your healthcare provider prescribes you to undergo aortic graft surgery, you must inform your insurance provider immediately and raise your claim. The insurance authorities will verify your claim and once everything seems genuine, you will receive a single-time payment.
You can utilise this amount for the following surgery, treatment and recovery procedures. It may also come in handy to get rid of your debts and other liabilities if the situation permits.
The treatment of any critical ailment can prove to be financially quite burdensome, especially in the long run. This sort of lump sum payout may come quite handy during such financial and medical contingencies.
Why is it important to opt for an aorta graft surgery critical illness insurance policy even if you hold an indemnity health insurance plan?
A standard health insurance coverage plan exclusively covers hospitalisation expenses incurred by the concerned policyholder. On the other hand, an aorta graft surgery critical illness cover has been exclusively crafted to cover the customised requirements catering to this particular type of treatment procedure.
Generally, standard health insurance cover does not offer coverage for critical ailments. Since aorta graft surgery falls under the critical illness category, it will not fall under the purview of a standard health cover. Therefore, even if you maintain a health insurance policy, you will not be able to enjoy its coverage benefits if you undergo an aorta graft surgery procedure.
Therefore, if you maintain a hereditary family history of such similar heart issues, it is best to opt for a specific aorta graft surgery critical illness cover. This will act as a protective shield during emergencies by protecting your hard-earned income and preventing excessive and unnecessary financial drainage.
What is aorta graft surgery?
The principal artery in the entire human body is termed as aorta. It originates from the heart’s left ventricle, extending down towards the abdomen, getting divided into two arteries of smaller size during the course. It is responsible for distributing oxygenated blood throughout the body.
However, an abdominal bulge, technically termed an aneurysm, prohibits this process, risking aortic rupture. This happens due to excessive weakening of the aortic walls. Some of the plausible causes include age, lifestyle, habits, hypertension, disorders in the connective tissues, hereditary historical symptoms of aortic aneurysms, etc.
Such aortic ruptures can be fatal, causing profuse bleeding internally, which eventually leads to shock. For smooth regulation of blood flow, doctors may opt for aorta graft surgery. Here, a certain part of the affected aorta gets replaced by a graft, the texture of which must be stronger than the original aorta. Once the procedure is complete, it ensures smooth and regulated blood flow throughout the body.
Causes of aorta graft surgery
Several health issues may lead to a dilated aorta causing aortic dissection, thus risking your mortality. Some of the probable health conditions that lead to aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm include:
1. Hardening of the arteries called atherosclerosis
2. Hypertension
3. Any genetic conditions like Marfan syndrome
4. Disorders of the connective tissues
5. Any severe traumatic injury
6. Infection
7. High cholesterol
8. Plaque accumulation in the arteries
Symptoms of aorta graft surgery
You must immediately consult a cardiac specialist under the following circumstances:
1. Repeated fever
2. Frequent chest pain
3. Breathlessness
4. Severe and long-term coughing
5. Back pain
6. Hoarseness
7. Sudden stabbing pain in the upper back radiating downwards
8. Breathing difficulty
9. Pain in chest, jaw, neck, arms
10. Draining, redness, or swelling at the incision site after aorta graft surgery
The treatment procedures of aorta graft surgery are competent enough to treat several types of aortic aneurysms. An aneurysm can develop in any specific part of your aorta like in the portion that runs through your abdomen, termed as an abdominal aortic aneurysm; or in the part that runs through your chest, called a thoracic aortic aneurysm. It can include your aortic root i.e., that part that remains connected with your heart, aortic arch, ascending or descending aorta.
People with congenital coarctation of the aorta, issues with the aortic valve, or the reversal of the great arteries also require aorta grafting surgery.
Treatment of aorta graft surgery
Depending on your health status, your doctor may undergo open-heart surgery, thoracotomy or the endovascular procedure to complete the aortic grafting surgery procedure. This implies that he/she can split open your breastbone, cut between your ribs, or go through your blood vessels respectively. The last procedure requires minimal invasion.
The surgeon uses very long and super thin tubes called catheters. The surgeon minimally incises your groin and uses the catheters to send the stent graft through the blood vessels to the respective aneurysm site.
The endovascular stent graft is also termed a scaffold. It is a tiny, wire mesh tube that is designed to reinforce the weak part in the aorta. The surgeon firmly seals the affected area with the artery present below and above the aneurysm site and allows the blood to flow through it without affecting the site.
Depending on the nature of the aorta grafting surgery, the duration is decided. A thoracic endovascular aortic repair requires around 2-5 hours while an abdominal aortic aneurysm requires 3-6 hours.
Once an aortic grafting surgery is complete, the patient normally needs to spend at least a week in the hospital. For the endovascular method, it does not require more than 2 days of hospitalisation after surgery, provided there are no complications. It requires nearly a month to recover completely after the surgery.
You need regular health check-ups once you have undergone an aortic graft surgery to monitor that your aorta is not changing or developing any other complications. As per the directions of your doctor, undergo CT scans or MRI scans as and when needed.
List of insurance policies for aorta graft surgery
Some of the top insurers that offer critical illness cover for aorta graft surgery include:
1. Bajaj Allianz Critical Illness Plan:
This special plan provides coverage for several critical ailments including aorta graft surgery, CABG, first heart attack, cancer, stroke, chronic kidney failure, primary pulmonary arterial hypertension, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, and chronic kidney failure.
This plan is available for any individual aged between 6 and 59 years. It pays out the cost in a lump sum 30 days after the diagnosis if the insured individual survives the tenure.
2. HDFC Ergo Platinum Critical Illness Plan
HDFC Ergo Critical Illness Plan is another competent insurance policy that provides coverage for aorta graft surgery. Any individual aged between 5 and 65 years can avail of this plan. If the policy applicant is within 45 years, he/she can purchase the plan without undergoing any pre-insurance issuance medical check-up, provided there is no recorded health issue.
However, under specific circumstances, pre-policy health check-up is mandatory and the policy applicant must undergo it at his/her own cost at specifically listed diagnostic centres. There might be certain provisions for discounts on such tests.
3. Future Generali Critical Illness Plan
The Future Generali Criti Care Health Insurance Plan offers coverage for nearly 12 critical ailments including aorta graft surgery. Apart from this, it includes cancer, kidney failure, liver failure, primary pulmonary arterial hypertension, multiple sclerosis, organ transplant, open chest CABG, stroke, massive heart attack, coma, and complete blindness.
Individuals aged between 18 and 65 years enjoy a lifetime renewability option, whereas children between 6 and 25 years enjoy this option, provided their parents are also insured with the same insurer.
4. SBI General Insurance
SBI General Insurance offers coverage for 13 critical ailments including aorta graft surgery, cancer surgery, open heart replacement, stroke with permanent setbacks, kidney failures requiring regular dialysis, complete blindness, etc. It offers pre and post-hospitalisation cover as per the policy terms.
5. Tata AIA Life Insurance Smart Health Shield Plan
This is yet another competent critical illness insurance policy coverage plan that provides coverage for aorta graft surgery, along with other open heart repair or replacement of the heart valves, open chest CABG, myocardial infarction, heart transplant, etc.
Inclusions and exclusions of critical illness insurance for aorta graft surgery
Inclusions:
1. Pre- and post-hospitalisation cover up to the specified tenure as per the terms of the chosen plan
2. Free look-in period of usually up to 15 days at no additional cost
3. The coverage amount varies depending on the provisions of the chosen cover
4. Get insurance benefits as per the terms of the plan
5. The insured individual receives a lump sum payout on a valid diagnosis of aorta grafting issue
6. Includes yearly health check-up costs, as per the plan provisions
Exclusions:
Although this list of exclusions varies from one plan to another, some standard exclusions include:
1. Any congenital ailments, except those that require aorta graft surgery, provided it does not violate the terms of the chosen plan
2. Any compensation is denied if the insured individual passes away within days of diagnosis of an aorta grafting issue
3. Any treatment or procedure that any registered medical practitioner does not perform
4. Aortic issue that has been diagnosed before plan issuance
5. Aortic issue diagnosed before the lapse of the specific waiting period as per the terms of the policy
6. Diagnosis made by any foreign country that any registered Indian medical practitioner does not approve
7. Death within days following the diagnosis of aortic health issue
8. Any injury caused by any war-like situations, riots or other similar violent events
9. Any self-inflicted injury causing suicide or suicidal attempt
10. Any venereal or STDs like HIV/AIDS
11. Injuries caused due to association with adventurous or defence activities
12. Any claims raised within the waiting period as per the policy terms
13. Any cosmetic, dental, or bariatric surgery costs
Eligibility for critical illness insurance for aorta graft surgery
Although depending on the specific terms of the chosen insurance provider the eligibility criteria for purchasing critical illness cover for aorta graft surgery may differ, however, certain standard rules include:
1. The minimum and maximum entry age must range between 18 and 65 years
2. The policy tenure may range between 5 and 40 years as per the specific terms of the plan selected
3. The sum assured may range between INR 2 lakhs and INR 2 crores, as per the plan terms and premium paid
Features of Critical Illness Insurance for aorta graft surgery
Some of the key features of critical illness insurance for aorta graft surgery include the following:
1. Complete coverage for aorta graft surgery
2. Lifetime policy renewability
3. Offers income tax benefit u/s 80D of the IT Act
4. Comparatively lower premium cost
5. Fast and hassle-free claim settlement
6. Lump sum claim payout by the insurer
Tax benefits
Critical Illness Insurance is a variant of health insurance. Therefore, it is eligible for tax deductions under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. The standard tax benefits that you can avail of under this category include:
| DESCRIPTION | SELF, SPOUSE, AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN |
| The premium paid for aorta graft surgery for critical illness covers any individual below 60 years of age | INR 25000 |
| If the parents are senior citizens | INR 25000 |
| If both you and your parents are senior citizens | INR 25000 |
While making the premium payment, you usually need to declare the following information:
1. Income details, education details, and professional details
2. Nominee details
3. Current address for conducting medical health check-ups if required
Key factors to consider while purchasing critical illness insurance for an aorta graft surgery
You can purchase critical illness insurance for an aorta grafting surgery either as a rider or as a standalone policy. Some standard plans that you must always consider while purchasing this cover include the following:
1. Age: An ageing body is more prone to health risks including aortic issues. You must note here that the treatment costs of such ailments are quite high and can affect your financial targets grossly. Therefore, it is better to stay prepared beforehand for better handling of such unprecedented uncertainties and ensure financial security despite such critical medical contingencies.
2. Current health status: If you have a family record of heart issues and you frequently experience breathlessness, fever, or chest pain, it is better to consult your doctor at the earliest and keep yourself prepared financially for aortic graft surgery. Your present health condition is a major determinant in purchasing this plan.
3. Future medical expenses: Since purchasing critical illness cover for aorta graft surgery is a precautionary measure, you must consider the medical inflation factor and proceed accordingly. You must also consider your lifestyle and probable alterations that you may encounter in future. With the befitting critical illness coverage plan, you can handle the situation well.
4. Premium amount: The premium for critical illness cover for aorta graft surgery is comparatively quite reasonable. However, it may differ depending on the specific terms and conditions of the chosen plan, but usually, it ensures optimum coverage at the lowest possible premium. You can understand this difference better in the long run. You must do a comparative study of different plans to find the most suitable one.
5. Insurer: You must be careful enough to select the right insurance provider. You must go through the customer reviews and claim settlement ratios of various insurance providers to grab the best one that suits your requirements.
6. Convenience: Before purchasing this critical illness cover, you have to ensure that the entire procedure of buying and selling the insurance plan remains smooth, fast, and hassle-free. These days several insurers offer online facilities to purchase, renew and cancel your insurance plan. This mode is fast, smooth, and paperless. You can access their website anytime, anywhere and proceed according to your convenience.
6. Inclusions, exclusions, terms and conditions: Before you purchase critical illness coverage for aorta graft surgery you must be very clear about the inclusion, exclusions, terms and conditions of your chosen plan to avoid any misunderstanding during claim settlement. Always read the policy papers carefully to know the specific details of the plan. If there is any ambiguity, please clarify them from the authorities before you proceed further.
Cost associated with aorta graft surgery
Aortic grafting surgery is a complicated surgical procedure and is quite expensive. The graft needs to be imported from foreign countries like the US or Australia. Despite that, the comparative cost of endovascular aneurysm repair is lower in India than in several other foreign countries.
In India, this cost revolves around INR 6 lakhs and INR 12 lakhs depending on the current situation.
Several determinants affect the cost of this surgery including:
1. The hospital type i.e., private/government/trust
2. Accreditation of the specific facility
3. Utility and the type of health insurance or self-paid
4. Reputation of the concerned hospital
5. Technology utilised
6. Type of surgery
7. Anaesthesia type
8. Qualification and experience of the surgeon
9. The extent of the surgical procedure essential
10. Diagnostic findings of the patient
11. General health status of the patient
12. Type of hospital room chosen
13. Any other type of treatment needed by the patient
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Critical Illness insurance coverage is a benefit plan offering a lump sum payout on the detection of any of the listed critical ailments as specified by the concerned insurance provider. However, a standard health plan just reimburses the medical expenses incurred as per the policy terms.
No, as this is a form of reimbursement payout, the amount directly gets deposited in your registered bank account once your claim gets approved.
Depending on the terms of the specific plan you have chosen, it can be done. However, you must clarify it with your respective insurance provider before purchasing.
Not only for aorta graft surgery, no critical illness cover offers any death benefit option.
Standard-term plans only offer death benefits, irrespective of the cause of death. However, several online term plans offer several critical illness coverage provisions by default. However, you can always add a specific critical illness rider to the existing term plan that you maintain.
Leading Health Insurance Companies
