The ongoing pandemic has worked as a wake-up call for people. The majority of us have never taken our health so seriously the way we are taking it now. From eating the healthiest food to going for walks, we are doing our best to be in the right shape and health. This has also led us to buy health insurance plans. As a matter of fact, buying a health insurance plan is as important as taking care of your health. Having a health insurance policy means you do not have to worry about your finances during a medical emergency.
Well, when we talk about a health insurance policy, we tend to forget that not always we need a policy for emergencies. Sometimes, we need them for a consultation with the doctor as well. And if you especially have elderly parents at home, you definitely need to take them to the doctor every now and then. This is why having an OPD cover is also advisable. Now that we talk about OPD cover, many people may confuse it with IPD treatment. So, let us today here discuss the difference between OPD and IPD treatment.
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How is OPD different from IPD?
OPD and IPD are certainly two different types of treatment. Some of the basic differences between these two are discussed herein below:
The full form of OPD is Outpatient Department, while the full form of IPD is Inpatient Departments. In OPD treatment, a patient is admitted not for more than 24 hours, while in an IPD a patient is required to be admitted for more than 24 hours. A patient who is visiting the hospital for the first time with a health condition or illness will directly visit the OPD. On the basis of the diagnosis, a patient is recommended for IPD. It totally depends upon the severity of the illness and what the doctor says, the patient has to stay in the IPD.
OPD includes minor surgeries, consultation, dental and ophthalmic procedures, and many more. IPD includes more serious health issues which can be complex surgeries or a serious illness that requires constant monitoring, rehabilitation services, childbirth, and many more.
The majority of the patients visit OPD as compared to IPD. IPD is only recommended when the illness is serious and needs major surgery or treatment.
The Inpatient Department is included in almost all the health insurance policies, while for the Outpatient Department cover; you might have to get it added by paying an additional premium.
In many health insurance policies, OPD cover is also included. In case, it is not there in your plan, you can add it by paying a bit extra premium. You can even get an OPD cover under a cashless scheme. This means you can visit the doctor and even get the needed treatment and then inform your health insurance provider. The bill will be settled by the insurance company with the hospital. If the plan is individual, then the OPD benefit is determined by the age of the policyholder. If it is a family floater plan, the benefit is determined by the age of the oldest member in the family. You also need to know that the health insurance plans that come with OPD cover are also much more beneficial in terms of saving taxes.
Now if you are looking for some health insurance plans that come with IPD and OPD cover, then you must take a look at the IIFL website. You will certainly come across many of them and even can check the premium that you have to pay in the future by using the health insurance premium calculator.