Page 42 - The Insurance Times October 2021

KNOW HOW YOUR

HEALTH INSURANCE

COVERS ORGAN

TRANSPLANT

SURGERIES

O rgan donations can make a significant difference Adding to it, Amit Chhabra, head - health insurance,

Policybazaar.com, said the approximate package for a heart
to someone’s life. But most people shy away from
transplant costs Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh, and the figure for a
this noble cause owing to safety concerns and
the exorbitant cost of organ transplant surgeries.

“Taking these alarming costs into account, some Indian
Though organ transplant surgeries are costly, health liver transplant can range from Rs. 24 lakh to Rs. 28 lakh.
insurance policies and critical illness policies do cover them. insurers have taken the initiative to provide policyholders
Nowadays, many health insurers have included organ with an in-built cover for organ donor expenses," said
transplant surgeries in their standard plans. Chhabra.

Aatur Thakkar, co-founder and director, Alliance Insurance However, the donor must usually be in good health when an
Brokers, said, “The health policies provide a cashless or organ is donated. Chatterjee said, “In medicine, the organ
reimbursement facility up to a specified amount incurred by donor is a high-risk individual. Thus, if one wishes to acquire a
the insured recipient towards the organ donor and gives tax new health policy and is already an organ donor, it is up to
benefit under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. Besides, the insurance provider to decide whether or not to cover the
with this organ transplant coverage, both donor and insured individual."
recipient can get the benefit."
Exclusion for donors
How the policy works The donors usually cannot get their hospitalization costs
Let us assume that you are an insured recipient in the hospital covered under their regular health insurance policy. Mayank
awaiting a kidney transplant, and your friend is the kidney Kale, chief executive officer and founder, Loop Health, said,
donor. The policy will not only cover all your costs, including “Since there are post-surgery complications, the
medical, surgical, and pre-and post-hospitalization expenses, hospitalization costs of the donor are not covered by most
it will also cover the expenses for your friend’s surgery and insurance policies in India as of date. Further, any other
organ storage. While the health policy will completely cover medical treatment for the donor consequent on the
your treatment expenses up to the sum insured, the coverage harvesting is not covered. Also, costs directly or indirectly
for your friend’s expenses can vary from insurer to insurer. associated with the acquisition of the donor’s organ is not
covered."
Indraneel Chatterjee, co-founder, RenewBuy, an insurtech
firm, said, “Most health insurers cover organ transplants as As a result, the insured recipient may have to bear such costs,
part of their regular health insurance policies. Some also cover making it critical to understand admissible and excluded
the organ donor’s expenses. The most commonly expenses, as well as sub-limits.
transplanted organs are kidney, lung, heart and liver. The
cost of these can range from RS. 5 lakh to Rs. 35 lakh." Chhabra said, “The organ donor’s treatment cost is only

42 The Insurance Times, October 2021