Due to rising inflation, healthcare costs have increased steadily over the past few years. An organ transplant or an open–heart surgery can cost you anywhere around Rs 5 lakh–10 lakh or more. Thus, a surgery for a single critical illness can end up draining out your hard–earned savings. To help you gain a better understanding, here are the various critical illness treatment charges in India for major diseases.

Heart diseases

As per data from Global Burden of Disease, about 24.8% of all deaths in India are caused due to Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD). CVDs can be caused due to unhealthy eating habits, obesity, stress, or high cholesterol. The average cost of medical procedures involved in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in India lies in the range of Rs 3 lakhs to 5 lakhs. The cost can rise much higher depending on the severity of the ailment. For instance, a heart transplant can cost as much as Rs 18 to 25 lakh.

Cancer

As per the National Cancer Registry Programme of the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 1300 people die every day in India due to cancer. The average medical cost in India for cancer treatment is around Rs 10 to 15 lakhs. This is because a single chemotherapy session can cost you about INR 1 lakh and medicines used for cancer treatment can cost you anywhere between Rs 75,000 to 1 lakh.

Kidney transplant

The total cost of a kidney transplant can be anywhere upwards of Rs 7 lakhs. Additionally, the cost of a single injection given before and after the transplant is about Rs 80,000. Furthermore, there is also the cost involved in sourcing a suitable donor.

Angioplasty

The cost of angioplasty in India can go as high as Rs 2.5 lakh, depending on the treatment centre. You should also include the cost of the consumables that would be used for the angioplasty surgery such as guiding catheters, balloon catheters, and guiding wires. The cost of such consumables can be between INR 10,000 and INR 42,000.

Liver cirrhosis

About 10 lakh people are diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in India every year. It is the 10th most common cause of death in India. Many patients with this disease need to undergo a liver transplant. This surgery can cost anywhere between Rs 10 lakhs and 20 lakhs in India.

As depicted above, critical illness treatment costs in India are quite high and can burn a hole in one’s pocket. Furthermore, critical illnesses are quite unpredictable. You need to bear in mind that many of these diseases – such as cancer – can return even after treatment. Moreover, you will also need to bear the costs of medication after treatment.

Health insurance

A health insurance plan is one of the best ways to safeguard your finances in times of illness. You can also consider buying critical illness insurance to supplement your base health insurance plan. This way, your health insurance can cover hospitalization expenses while the critical illness lump sum amount can help you manage your other financial obligations and surplus charges that fall outside the purview of your health insurance plan. A small premium paid towards your insurance can go a long way in saving your money when you need medical care.

Disclaimer: The above information is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale.