Cosmetic surgery and private health insurance Compartir
Author: Susana Dias
(article published in Canarian Weekly 22nd January 2010)
Q: Dear Susana, I’m 37 years old and after my second child I’ve been thinking about breast surgery. I’m insured with DKV Mundi and although I know cosmetic surgery is not covered I would like to know if there’s any discount or centre that could be recommended by my insurance?
A: Private Health Insurance cover is generally divided into Primary Care, Specialists and complementary means of diagnosis + Dental Care and Hospitalisation. Plastic surgery is included for breast reconstruction after radical surgery, which includes the breast prosthesis, but is not included for aesthetic purposes. Nevertheless some Health Insurance companies, like DKV offer a Wellness service, were you can find several discounts on cosmetic treatments including breast augmentation.
A variety of treatments is available, aesthetic skin treatments, diagnosis and treatment of hair problems and aesthetic treatment of varicose veins, Wellness programmes including hydrotherapy, spas, urban spas, back school and Pilates or anti stress therapies (Tai Chi and yoga.) DKV also provides you with access to a network of spas and thermal baths with a 10% discount in a large range of services.
You can check the services available at the DKV associated centres by calling 902 499 150.
2010 brings new aspects in insurance plans
Normally a health insurance covers:
- Primary Care includes 24 hour Emergency care at home and in a hospital; Basic annual medical check-up; Analysis and conventional X-rays; Ambulances; Paediatrics and childcare; General medicine; Nursing Service (state registered nurse).
- Specialists and complementary means of diagnosis + Dental Care, covers the guidance of a specialist doctor equipped with the latest, technical complementary means of diagnosis which is the authentic key to health. To be able to go to a good specialist and have an illness diagnosed on time is something of the highest priority. By having a private health insurance like DKV Integral will represent a saving of time and a guarantee that the module covers the most common consultation specialities, with which we are all familiar, such as gynaecology, cardiology, traumatology, etc.
- Hospitalisation covers the expenses arising from a stay in a hospital, including the use of a standard individual room with toilet and bed for the accompanying person (except in the case of psychiatric hospitalisation, intensive care unit or incubator), the maintenance of the patient, general nursing expenses, special care unit, complementary means of diagnosis, treatments, surgical expenses, anaesthetic products, medication and delivery room.
As of 2010, DKV Seguros is offering new services and new coverage to promote a better level of customer satisfaction, together with an improved service to benefit their quality of life. Among these services is the first social network created by an insurance company, dedicated completely to health matters. The novelties depend on the type of policy taken out and the type of contracting. Wellness programmes, medicine and aesthetic services or family care services, are just some of the new services that have been included. In addition, according to the product contracted, health customers will be able to benefit from Cardiology Diagnosis, which includes a new means of diagnosis (multi-cut coronary tomography) and Oncological Diagnosis, which also includes a new means of diagnosis: Single Photon Tomography (SPECT).
“Vive la Salud” Community - The first social network on the internet offering information and advice on any aspect you may wish to find out about or share regarding you or your family's health. “Vive la Salud” puts you in touch for free, with the expertise of the best doctors, the help of patient associations and the support of people with the same experiences as yourself.
For all those insured by DKV Modular and Professional policies, the coverage of different modules will be reassigned, so that birth preparation is included in the Specialities, Diagnostic Means and Treatment Module. In the Hospitalisation and Surgery Module, traffic, workplace and sports accidents; cornea, heart, liver, bone marrow and kidney transplants; skin and bone auto grafts, tendon and ligament allo grafts; breast reconstruction following radical surgery, with the inclusion of breast prostheses where necessary; and surgical prostheses, will be included.
Individual Health Insurance will include a series of additional guarantees and advantages, according to our customers’ policy type and the module contracted:
• Those with DKV Mundisalud will have access to alternative and complementary therapies such as Homeopathy and Acupuncture.
• DKV Integral, DKV Modular and DKV Profesional customers with complete Medical care will also have a new guarantee: repayment of medical care expenses abroad for serious illnesses such as heart attack, cancer, cerebrovascular illness, organ transplant and paralysis or paraplegia.
Improvements in administration
At DKV we are aware of the lack of time and of the lifestyle of our customers. Therefore we are working towards administration improvements so that procedures are carried out faster and access to information is facilitated. To do this, our Health Insurance Policies provide free access to mammograms (without the need of prior authorization) and a single medical advice telephone line, 902 499 799, where our customers can make any type of enquiry.
Also part of the new technological advances, as of 2010, our customers will be able to obtain a copy of their Medical Professionals list in CD format, as well as being able to download the list for their region onto their mobile, without needing to connect.
TVT, s.l. is an exclusive agency of Zurich Insurance PLC, legally inscribed at the DGS (Direccion General de Seguros Española) with the number C0530B38657193. TVT, s.l. works the health insurance branch with DKV España SA. Offices in Tenerife South, Adeje - and in La Palma, El Paso.
Contact the Author for more information or any doubt you might have