Life often has a lot of uncertainties. Sometimes, you might be at the peak of happiness, while the next day can be filled with sadness and anxiety. While several methods have been developed to deal with these and stabilise their impact, certain factors can still lead to a negative experience.
In recent years, there has been a growing number of individuals suddenly becoming ill or being diagnosed with diseases. This has increased advocacy for healthy living, i.e., a nutritious diet, sleeping adequately, and exercising regularly. Although this is excellent advice for most people and many conditions, certain risks can not be mitigated just by living healthy.
One of those risks discussed in this article is congenital diseases. What are they, what are their types, and does group health plan cover them? Keep reading to find out.
What are congenital diseases?
Congenital diseases are specific ailments that exist at the time of or before birth. While some of these diseases might be identifiable and detectable before birth, there are also some that can only be determined later during infancy. They can typically be defined as structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine life. As per a report by the WHO in 2020, there are nearly 1.7 Million Indians born with congenital diseases/congenital disabilities each year. As per another report by the WHO and MOD, almost 6-7% of Indians suffer from congenital diseases.
What are the types of congenital diseases?
Some of the common types of congenital diseases in India are as follows:
- Cerebral palsy
- Cleft lip and cleft palate
- Club foot
- Cystic fibrosis
- Deafness
- Down syndrome
- Hypothyroidism
- Heart disease
- Neural tube defects
Do group health insurance plans cover these diseases?
The answer to this question depends on the type of congenital disease the individual has and the group health insurance company. That is because although there is coverage for certain types of internal genetic conditions, that is not true for all hereditary diseases. Per the IRDAI regulations, health insurance may cover certain types of internal genetic conditions; however, external conditions, like club foot, cleft lip, and cleft palate, are not covered.
This is why individuals suffering from congenital diseases can try to consult with their employer and request them to negotiate coverage for these ailments. By understanding this need, employers can provide relevant coverage by discussing it with the insurer and health insurance agent.
Is it possible to prevent or mitigate the risk of congenital diseases?
Although not all types of congenital diseases are covered by health insurance, all hope is not lost. As per the World Health Organisation, there are still certain ways by which you can prevent or mitigate the risk of these diseases.
- Ensure a healthy diet, including a wide variety of vegetables and fruit
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Ensure an adequate dietary intake of vitamins and minerals
- Ensuring mothers avoid harmful substances, particularly alcohol and tobacco
- Avoid travelling during pregnancy to regions experiencing outbreaks of infections
- Reduce or eliminate environmental exposure to hazardous substances (such as heavy metals or pesticides) during pregnancy
- Control diabetes before and during pregnancy
- Vaccination, especially against the rubella virus, for children and women
Other than this, many structural congenital anomalies can be corrected with paediatric surgery, and early treatment can be administered to children with functional problems. By ensuring quality care and taking suitable precautions, it is possible to mitigate the risk of these diseases.
Conclusion
Although congenital anomalies may not be avoidable, it is possible to treat them. Individuals with these anomalies can recover and avoid further complications with the right group health insurance and proper care. It is thus essential to understand these risks and make the right decision when doing so to be able to live a fulfilling life.
Also Read: What is the Need, Benefits and Eligibility of a Health Insurance Plan?
