There has been growing awareness around the benefits of having healthy skin and the various ways by which you can take care of your skin. If people are not satisfied with the results after following their skincare routines, they tend to go through the medical enhancement route. There are also specific health conditions related to skin that require medical intervention.  The cost of these procedures is sometimes too much to bear and can seem wasteful to spend from your own pocket. This gives rise to the question: Is dermatology covered under my health insurance policy? Read on to know the answer to this question. 

Dermatology Coverage in Health Insurance Plans

Dermatology refers to the branch of medicine that deals with all things to do with the skin. A dermatologist or a dermatology specialist is the one who diagnoses any skin condition and suggests a suitable treatment for it. There are a range of treatments that come under this wing for a range of problems and diseases. 

Dermatology treatments are usually covered under the health insurance policy and if you have a valid health insurance policy you can raise a claim for the same. Skin related diseases such as skin cancer are also covered under critical illness cover and cancer insurance policy. 

However, the scope of coverage might differ from one health insurance policy to the other. Some health insurance policies might cover only the expenses arising out of the procedure and not cover the OPD consultations or day care treatments. There are also restrictions on the coverage extending to the type of procedure. 

Skin Procedures Covered Under Health Insurance

Some of the procedures that are often covered under the health insurance policies are- 

1. Skin cancer treatment
2. Acnes and rashes
3. Reconstructive surgeries
4. Psoriasis
5. Skin Fungal infections

While some of the procedures that are not covered under health insurance are-

1. Non-accident plastic surgery
2. Botox Treatment
3. Tattoo removal
4. Fillers
5. Chemical peels

From the above, you can see that procedures that relate to beautification of one’s skin/body that are not life threatening are generally not covered under health insurance as they may be considered for only cosmetic purposes. 

Terms and Conditions of Dermatology Coverage

There is a certain eligibility criterion that you must meet in order to claim dermatology expenses under health insurance policy. Most of these policies have a certain waiting period ranging from 1 to 2 years before which you cannot file a claim for the dermatology procedures you undertake. If you are looking for skin cancer treatment, then the waiting period under critical illness insurance policy is only 90 days. However, if you suffered from this condition before you had a valid health insurance policy then this is considered to be a pre-existing illness, the waiting period for which ranges from 1 to 4 years depending on the health insurance policy you have. 

The treatment for most of these procedures can be expensive, which is why it is important for you to get a valid health insurance policy that covers the expenses of such treatments. You should ensure that you have read through the policy documents before signing the paper so that you can eliminate any source of stress later! To know more about health insurance, click here!