Jakarta. According to the Global Medical Trends Survey, Indonesia’s medical costs are expected to jump 19.4 percent this year. The report attributed the rising price to the increasing raw material costs and technology advancements. The soaring healthcare costs have made health insurance an increasingly important product to have.

But the rising medical bills have led to insurers to reprice the premiums paid by the consumers. This policy is not solely a reactive policy, but to anticipate medical inflation. This way, the individuals can get the optimum protection and medical services. But here are some things you need to pay attention to in order to take a better advantage of your health insurance:

1. Understand Your Insurance Policy

An insurance policy is a contract containing the benefits and terms of insurance agreed upon by the insurer and the insured. Policyholders should make sure how much benefit is guaranteed by the insurance, including outpatient and inpatient care, and death benefit. You should also pay attention to the exceptions in the insurance protection services. Insured individuals must also make sure that the policy is always active.

2. Make Sure You Can Tell The Difference Between Health and Life Insurance

Life insurance offers financial protection to the family and those left behind when the policy owner passes away. Health insurance covers the risks experienced by the customers, including their medical care costs. Health insurance also has components such as medical and care costs, which are adjusted annually according to the situation in the industry. Life insurance, however, does not have these components, thus remaining unaffected by price adjustments.

3. Go To Partner Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities

When you do need medical treatment, make sure to choose a hospital and health facility that is an official partner of the insurance used. Health facilities have already gone cashless, so customers only need to show their insurance card without having to pay in advance.

4. Don’t Hesitate to Use Additional Facilities

Many health insurance companies offer additional features to ensure that their customers get the best protection services in facing various risks. This includes  medical checkup discount promos and easy access to premium facilities in medical. For instance, the PRUPriority Hospitals facility provided by insurance giant Prudential Indonesia offers exclusive services at more than 350 leading hospitals and health facilities spread across the country and abroad.

PRUPriority Hospitals brings together hospitals  and clinics that have registered with Prudential Indonesia. Go to https://bit.ly/PMN-RSRekanan to find out more. 

5. Pay Attention to Annual Premium Adjustments

Keep in mind that health insurance premiums get adjusted annually, oftentimes due to medical inflation. There may also be adjustments as the customers grow older. Because the older a person becomes, the bigger the likelihood of health risks.

6. Health Insurance Will Always Be Beneficial

The increase in health insurance premiums may be surprising if not understood and prepared for properly. However, you should always remember that having health insurance as early as possible is still much better than having no protection at all when you fall ill. Imagine if you had to dig into your personal savings to pay for inpatient treatment for dengue fever, which can range between Rp 5 million (approximately $297) to Rp 20 million ($11,878), the costs incurred would certainly be greater than paying health insurance premiums regularly and on time.

7. Embrace A  Healthy Lifestyle

Having insurance does not mean you can neglect your health. Prudential Indonesia rewards its customers who consistently adopt a healthy lifestyle. Its PRUWell Medical Health Insurance (PWM) comes with a PRUWell feature that gives its customers a premium relief of up to 20 percent for the upcoming coverage hospital.

For example, if a customer has PWM and no claim history throughout the observation period, they will get a premium discount starting from 5 percent to 20 percent as long as they meet the requirements. This way, not only do people are motivated to stay healthy, insurance premium can become more affordable.