Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Is it advisable to get two medical cards from different Insurer?

One of the main reason why people get another medical card is because the limit on the first card is nearly exhausted or wanting to save cost by applying a high deductible on the second medical card.

For convenience sake, it is advisable to restrict the claims to one insurer and best option is to UPGRADE the existing medical card and not maintain 2 medical cards. 

Unless during the application for upgrade, the client has other health issues which may impose Exclusion. Then it is recommended to have 2 cards. If not, best to stick to one card.

Handling of the claims with second insurer can at times be mind boggling as the second insurer will require the exact medical reports which were submitted directly to the first insurer. Ding dong here, ding dong there, which causes delay in paying the claims.

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Here is a claims scenario that you may want to consider as well...

Assuming that the first card comes with an annual limit of RM50K, while the second with RM50K deductible and RM1M limit and the surgery costs RM80K.

Since the first card is only able to provide Guarantee Letter up to RM50K, upon discharge, the client is required to pay in cash RM30K and using the original receipt, Letter of Settlement (from 1st insurer) & hospital medical reports, file a claim from the second insurer.

If both cards were from the same insurer, then it is possible to seamlessly have the second medical card to cover the hospital charges variances without having the client to fork out his own money.

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Another point to consider when getting the second medical card with high deductible is some coverage clauses. For example, older medical cards between the year 2003 and 2015 for the Cancer Treatment & Kidney Dialysis are known to Exclude Take Home Drugs, Long Term Medication and Consultation Charges (THD, LTM & CC).

If it is married together with a second medical card with say RM50K deductible, even though the second medical card do cover the THD, LTM & CC, the total Cancer claim will have to Exceed the RM50K deductible before the above can be claimed.