Free Medical Check-ups under Health Insurance

A complimentary medical check-up is one of the many perks of a health insurance policy. Some health insurance companies go above and beyond by offering extra benefits like doctor consultations and a variety of routine tests such as fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, and others. Policyholders can avail the service by going to one of the network hospitals and giving their health insurance information. This facility is offered once each year, depending on your health insurance policy.

A free medical check-up is a comprehensive examination of how your body works without paying out of your own pocket. It includes vital body tests such as heart health, organ functions, metabolism rate, and a variety of other signs and symptoms. You can keep track of your overall health and discover any early signs of a sickness or illness this way. The health check-up also measures a variety of vital health parameters, such as blood pressure, diabetes, in order to detect any impending lifestyle disorders.

Why are Free Medical Check-ups Important?

Depending on the policy bought, most health insurance policies offer policyholders free medical check-ups every 2 or 4 years (depending on the insurer). However, even if policyholders are aware of the free medical check-up services, barely 25% to 35% of them take advantage of it, according to experts.

The reason for this is mainly two-fold. While many people are unaware of how to obtain free medical examinations, others are concerned that if the test findings are positive, their premiums will rise.

Here are a few important benefits of regular check-ups:

• Early Diagnosis:

  These medical check-ups can help you detect underlying diseases or medical conditions early on. This limits the risk of complications and directly increases the chances of treatment success.

• Monitoring Wellness:

  With regular check-ups, you are constantly aware of how your body is functioning and it helps you keep track of existing conditions with need-based consultations. You are basically better equipped to make lifestyle changes and keep fit with regular monitoring of your overall health.

• Improved Savings:

  When you are diagnosed with a medical illness at its nascent stage and start treatment immediately, you are likely to save a significant amount of your savings, otherwise spent on expensive treatment procedures and hospital bills for when the illnesses advance to a severe stage.

• Proper Direction for Treatment:

  Medical check-ups can inform those who are currently suffering from a medical disease such as hypertension or diabetes about their current state of health and medication progress. This would also give an indication of the appropriate treatment or any drug changes that a person might require.

Examples of Companies Offering Free Medical Check-ups with Health Insurance

The following list highlights some of the companies that offer free medical check-ups with some of their health plans. For your information, we have presented the names of the plans against each company that feature this benefit.

Note - The above list is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as definitive. PolicyX.com does not endorse any company or their plans. Several other health plans are available across various insurance providers and you are advised to carefully evaluate the policy benefits per your needs.

How Frequently Can One Avail of Free Medical Check-ups with Health Insurance?

The number of free health check-ups available varies by individual health plan and family floater policy, as well as by insurance firms. Even if you have submitted a claim during the policy term, many health insurers will give you a free yearly medical check-up.

• The policyholders of Max Bupa can go for free medical check-ups every year or every alternate year, depending on the type of health insurance plan that you have opted for.
• Care Health Insurance, for example, provides free annual health checks to all of its customers, even if they have filed a claim that year.
• Royal Sundaram policyholders are entitled to a free health check-up once a year or every other year, depending on the type of plan chosen.

Users may rest assured that if any health risk or disease is discovered during the check-up, there will be no increase in their insurance premiums.

List of Free Medical Tests in Health Insurance

The tests listed below are generic ones that your doctor might suggest to get a thorough picture of your medical health.

• Blood Pressure Test
• Chest X-ray
• Blood Sugar Test
• Lipid Profile
• Complete Blood Count (CBC)
• ECG Test (mostly recommended after 35 though)
• Liver Function Test
• Complete Blood Count (CBC)
• Urine Analysis
• Tests for Vitamin Deficiencies
• Pap smear (for women, once a year)
• Kidney Function test
• Lung Function test

Factors That Influence Your Free Medical Check-up Benefit

1. Insurance Provider

   Every health insurance provider puts forth their own terms and conditions for availing free check-ups with their health policies. It is important that you check with your company and avail the benefits based on the terms of your policy.

2. Claim Free Years

   Most insurers' policy wordings state that the advantage of a free medical test is only available after a certain number of claim-free years, which can range from 4-5 years.

   SBI General, for example, offers a free medical check-up after four years of no claims. It implies you can only use the free medical test option in the fifth year if the previous four years have been claim-free.

   However, certain insurers, such as Care Health Insurance, provide annual health checks to policyholders regardless of whether they filed a medical claim the previous year.

3. Sum Insured

   Another key factor to remember is that the amount of free medical tests covered is determined by the sum insured of the health insurance policy chosen. If the chosen Sum Insured is higher, the limit of free medical check-ups available under the plan will be higher, and vice-versa.

   For example, if one insurance cover offers Rs. 25 Lakhs and the other has a sum insured limit of Rs 5 lakh, the former's free medical check up limit will be higher.

Please note that the result of your medical test has no bearing on the premium amount throughout the duration of the ongoing cover. The findings from these tests are only used for the purposes of underwriting when the policyholder wishes to increase the Sum Insured during renewal.

Therefore, do not be worried about incurring higher premiums or extra costs and get your free check-up done at the earliest!

How to Avail Free Health Check-ups?

• To begin with, call the health insurance company's toll-free number or go to the local branch office to alert them about the free medical check-up service. The procedure differs from one insurance to the next.
• You can also schedule your health checkup by writing or calling your insurance company.
• The insurer will contact you with a confirmed time and date that meets your requirements.
• You will be given an authorization letter to bring to the diagnostic center with your health card.
• Their concerned team will contact you and arrange for a medical check-up at the preferred diagnostic center.
• If you get it at a network center, the insurer settles it with the clinic itself. However, you will have to pay out of pocket if you get the tests done from a non-network medical center. The Insurer reimburses you for the same subject to the coverage limit.

Wrapping it up:

Detecting an health issue early will help you to avail early cure. Now when you know all about the benefits of free health check-up and the process of availing it, you can easily book one for you and your family. With the facility of a free health medical check-up, you can stay updated about your health, and your insurer will bear the medical costs. With the help of this benefit, you can take immediate corrective action before the situation goes trickier.