Network Hospitals

Network Hospitals are the hospitals and clinics collaborating with health insurance companies to offer cashless medical treatment to policyholders. Every Health insurance company has tie-ups with different hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes nationwide. When the policyholder seeks medical treatment at a network hospital, the health insurance company directly settles the bills with the hospital.

A cashless network hospital works in much the same way as a regular or non-participating hospital. Policyholders are not required to pay anything to the hospital if they are taking medical treatment in any of the network hospitals. The insurer will settle the bill amount directly with the hospital.

Policyholders can avail of cashless claims in any network hospital of the insurance company. Cashless claims can be of two types, i.e., Planned Hospitalization or Unplanned Hositalization. Below we have mentioned both types of claim processes in detail:

Below mentioned is the general process to avail of the cashless claim under a health insurance plan:

• Intimate the insurance help desk in the hospital about the hospitalization.
• Show the health card of the insured at the help desk for identification.
• Submit the pre-authorization form to the insurer.
• The insurance company will verify the submitted documents and process the claim per the health policy's terms and conditions.
• Once all the formalities are done, the insurance company will settle the claim per the policy's terms and conditions.

A cashless claim process can be of two types: The planned hospitalization claim process and the Unplanned hospitalization claim process.

It is a type of hospitalization in which the policyholder is aware of the hospitalization beforehand. Below mentioned are the steps to file a claim under planned hospitalization:

• Intimate the insurance company before 3 to 5 days of hospitalization.
• The insurance company will provide a confirmation letter to the hospital.
• Submit the health card and the confirmation letter on the insured's admission day.
• The insurance company will directly settle the bill with the hospital.

This is also known as emergency hospitalization. This type of hospitalization happens suddenly and unexpectedly. Generally, this type of hospitalization occurs when the policyholder meets with an accident or an illness that requires immediate treatment.

• Inform the insurance company within 24hrs of hospitalization.
• Submit the health insurance claim form along with the other required documents.
• The insurance company will send an authorization letter to the hospital.
• The insurance company will directly settle the bill with the hospital.