What is an Arogya Insurance Card?

We know that fixed deposits are utilized for investing our extra savings, but now a fixed deposit can also be utilized to acquire health benefits. Arogya insurance card is an initiative under Ayushman Yojana where a beneficiary can enjoy cashless hospitalization provided, he/she owns a fixed deposit. This card is specially introduced for senior citizens by the KVB in association with the Vidal Health Insurance Third Party Administrator. It can be useful especially during emergency hospitalization for heart attacks, strokes, etc. Let’s dive deeper into this subject and understand its criteria, application, claim process, and also its benefits.

Criteria

Any senior citizen who wishes to apply for an Arogya insurance card must fulfill the following conditions

• They must have a savings account in a bank.
• They must have a new or existing term deposit of Rs.1 Lakh or above for 1 year or more.

How to apply for an Arogya Insurance Card?

1. To place a request for an Arogya insurance card, you have to sign and submit an application form.
2. You can generate this form from the FRS utility once a lien is marked on your fixed deposit.
3. Upon verification of the submitted form and the necessary documents, if you are found eligible, you will be given the Arogya insurance card.

Benefits

The policy excludes you from paying any pre-closure charges if you choose to close the fixed deposit linked with the Arogya insurance card before the due date.

• You will avail of 5-20% discounts on hospitalization and also preferential pricing for expensive treatments.
• You can also get 24/7 access to doctors on the phone for any queries or emergencies.
• If you choose to get treatment at a hospital that is listed under your provider, you can get an extra 5-10% discount.
• Get free telephonic consultation with top specialists in the medical industry.
• If you want a second opinion before hospitalization, the Arogya insurance card covers this consultation fee.
• Receive expert counselling services, health tips, and monthly newsletters via your email.
• Get information about various hospitals like their treatment costs, available doctors, post-hospitalization services, etc. through your provider. Moreover, your provider will also guide you in selecting the appropriate doctors and hospitals so that you can get the best treatment.

Some important points to note

• In case of hospitalization, you can use the Arogya insurance card to get a 90% overdraft on the fixed deposit for settlement of the hospital bill.
• You will be charged an extra 2% interest rate above the contracted rate of interest for the fixed deposit in case of an overdraft.
• You can continue your fixed deposit after you have repaid the availed overdraft.
• If you wish to pre-close the deposit attached with the Arogya insurance card, you need to first close the overdraft linked to the term deposit, if any.
• Only after this step can you close your deposit provided you submit your Arogya insurance card to the provider.

With a wide variety of medical benefits and protection against future health emergencies, an Arogya insurance card is a must-have for every senior citizen. However, It’s necessary that before getting the card, one should go through all the terms and conditions thoroughly in order to avoid any hassle or inconvenience in the future.