Being diagnosed with cancer can have a devastating impact you, your family and friends.
On top of this, treating cancer is extremely expensive, and survival without the proper treatment is often not a viable option. A Comprehensive Major Medical plan ensures that you have sufficient coverage for the costs surrounding this disease.
What Does a Typical Cancer Insurance Policy Cover?
Most cancer insurance policies offer benefits that go towards coverage of costly tests, hospitalization, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and ongoing care and treatment. In most instances you will be required to pay co-payments and/or an annual deductible and coinsurance. As most Comprehensive major Medical plans also feature an Out-Of-Pocket Limit, you will more than likely meet this limit and thus, be further protected from costly care during a given calendar year.
Why Offer Cancer Insurance to your Employees?
There is no question that medical insurance is essential, yet there are often many direct and indirect costs associated with a cancer diagnosis that are not covered under a typical policy. For instance, a typical insurance policy will not cover the cost of lost income, transportation, child care, housekeeping needs and home nursing expenses. And according to Community Oncology Alliance, less than half of Americans believe that their insurance plans would cover the full cost of cancer treatment. With paying for treatment being among Americans’ top concerns about cancer, offer cancer insurance to your employees as a solution.
There are currently two types of cancer policies available today. One provides the insured with one lump-sum payment upon cancer diagnosis—similar to critical illness coverage. The other provides the insured with a smaller sum at the time of diagnosis and then pays benefits such as the ones listed below based on the needs of the insured throughout treatment:
First Occurrence Payment pays the flat dollar amount starting the first time that the insured is diagnosed.
Hospital Confinement pays a set dollar amount for each day the insured must be in the hospital.
Diagnosis Testing and Medications pays additional costs of testing and medications related to cancer treatment while the insured is in the hospital.
Surgeon or Physician pays a daily dollar amount for services provided by the attending doctor or surgeon while in the hospital.
Private Nursing pays a daily dollar amount for a private nurse (if needed) while in the hospital.
Patient Transportation pays for transportation by plane, train or bus, if the insured must travel far away from home to receive treatment.
Family Transportation and Lodging pays for a family member to accompany the insured for treatment, if he or she must travel a long distance for treatment.
Nursing Facility or Hospice Care pays a daily dollar amount for staying at a nursing or hospice care facility.
Surgical Procedures pays a specific dollar amount for surgical procedures related to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Cancer Therapies pays a daily dollar amount for radiation, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants, blood products and anti-nausea medication.
Who Should Purchase a Cancer Insurance Policy?
The following employees would benefit most from this voluntary benefit:
Those with a family history of cancer.
Those who do not have enough in savings to pay for medical treatment not covered by traditional health insurance policies.
Those who are their family’s sole wage earner.
*This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as medical advice. For further information, please consult a medical professional.
Treating cancer is extremely expensive, and survival without proper treatment is often not a viable option. To help offset these costs, you should have a Comprehensive Major Medical Insurance Plan.