The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that more than 6,000 cases exist worldwide, of which 80 percent occur in European countries. According to the announcement by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Ph.D., monkeypox infection has been found in 58 countries. According to Our World in Data, 7,075 cases have been confirmed globally.
The outbreak of monkeypox in India has been in the news recently. According to the latest data, the total confirmed cases of monkeypox in India are only two. Still, it may increase nationwide if we do not take preventive measures.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is an infectious viral disease that is very contagious and can affect both humans and some other animals. The symptoms of monkeypox are very much similar to smallpox, including fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a blistering rash. The duration of symptoms is usually 2 to 4 weeks.
Symptoms of Monkeypox include:
Below mentioned are some of the common symptoms of monkeypox viral:
- Fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Exhaustion
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Muscle aches and backache
Prevention Steps for Monkeypox
Below-mentioned are some of the preventive measures that you should take:
- Avoid skin-to-skin contact
- Don’t touch the clothes of a person suffering from monkeypox
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitiser
- Maintain some distance from an infected person
- Home Isolation if you are infected with monkeypox
Treatment For Monkeypox
As of now, there is no specific treatment for monkeypox. But, monkeypox is similar to the smallpox virus and is genetically identical, which means we can use antiviral medication and vaccines that have been developed to fight smallpox. They can also be used to treat monkeypox.
Medicine such as tecovirimat (TPOXX) can be used to treat people who are severely ill or people with weak immunity systems.
How Do I Take Care of Myself Against Monkeypox?
If you have symptoms of monkeypox, you can follow the below-mentioned steps to counter the monkeypox:
- Take fever reducing and pain reliever medication
- Oatmeal bath
- Use gauge and bandages
- Avoid contact with pets
Is Monkeypox Covered Under Your Health Insurance Policy
Health insurance plans cover hospitalization expenses from treating diseases, infections, etc. It is important to note that all infectious diseases, including monkeypox, are covered under your health insurance policy. If a person is diagnosed with monkeypox, the person's existing comprehensive health insurance policy will pay for the total cost of hospitalization.
Since monkeypox is not a pre-existing disease, it will be covered under your comprehensive health insurance plan's coverage benefits, including pre and post-hospitalization, domiciliary benefits, in-patient benefits, etc.
Key Benefits of Monkeypox Health Insurance
Below mentioned is the list of benefits of monkeypox health insurance:
|
Coverage |
Benefit |
|
Monkeypox Treatment |
Covered |
|
Covered |
|
|
Consumable Cost |
Covers the cost of PPE kits, ventilators, masks, gloves |
|
As per the term and conditions of the policy |
|
|
Available |
|
|
Add-on Covers |
Available |
Best health Insurance plans in India for Monkeypox
Since the outbreak of monkeypox, many health insurance companies have been offering various health insurance plans that cover the treatment cost of monkeypox. But finding the best health insurance plan for monkeypox can be a tedious tax for anybody. We D2C Insurance Broking Private Limited (“RenewBuy”) has made a list of the best health insurance policies for monkeypox in India along with its unique features in the table below:
|
S.No. |
Company name |
Plan Name |
Unique Features |
Network Hospitals |
|
|
Niva Bupa Health Insurance |
Niva Bupa Health Reassure Plan |
|
7600+ |
|
|
Care Health Insurance |
Care Plan |
|
16500+ |
|
|
ManipalCigna Health Insurance |
ManipalCigna Pro-Health Plan |
|
6500+ |
|
|
HDFC ERGO Health Insurance |
HDFC ERGO Optima Restore Plan |
|
13000+ |
|
|
ICICI Lombard Health Insurance |
ICICI Lombard Health Shield Plan |
|
6500+ |
|
|
ICICI Lombard Health Insurance |
ICICI Lombard Health Plus Shield Plan |
|
6500+ |
|
|
ICICI Lombard Health Insurance |
ICICI Lombard Health Elite Plan |
|
6500+ |
|
|
ICICI Lombard Health Insurance |
ICICI Lombard Health Elite Plus Plan |
|
6500+ |
|
|
SBI Health Insurance |
SBI Arogya Plus Plan |
|
6000+ |
|
10. |
Care Health Insurance |
Care Classic |
|
16500+ |
*Disclaimer: We RenewBuy do not endorse any specific insurance company or insurance product offered by any insurer and this list is just an illustration of the plan offered by different Health insurance companies
Inclusions Under Monkeypox Health Insurance
Below mentioned are is the list of inclusions under monkeypox health insurance:
|
Basic Coverage Benefits |
Add-on Covers |
|
|
Monkeypox Health Insurance Claim Process
Below-mentioned is the two types of claim processes that are permissible under Monkeypox health insurance, i.e. cashless claim process and reimbursement claim process:
Cashless Claim Process
- Intimate the insurer about the hospitalization
- Show your health card at the hospital
- Submit the other necessary documents
- The insurance company will settle the hospitalization bills directly with the hospitals.
Reimbursement Claim Process
- Intimate the insurance company
- Collect the original discharge summary from the hospital.
- Submit the claim form along with the ID proof
- The health insurance company will verify the submitted documents
- Once the verification is done, the health insurance company will initiate the reimbursement process.
Disclaimer: The information published in this article is for the reader′s reference only. The content of this information is to provide an overview of your health insurance needs and should not be relied upon for personal, medical, legal, or financial decisions; you should consult an appropriate professional for specific advice. The Company makes no representations about the suitability, reliability, timeliness, and accuracy of the information, services, or any other items mentioned on this subject for any purpose whatsoever.