Pancreatic Cancer Insurance

No man can prepare himself against cancer. It is the silent but deadly opponent, all of us, have faced in some form or another. Be it in a close family member or friend, or even ourselves, Cancer has struck each person, leaving an indelible mark on us. The ravages of cancer can leave a person, a family, stumped and feeling out of control. No matter how strongly we fight the disease, it finds a way to attack us unawares. There are various kinds of cancer people are battling every day. Science is advancing with the passing days, but finding a definitive cure for cancer, even through rigorous efforts, is nowhere on the horizon. Among the many types of cancers, people are fighting is pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that originates in the pancreas. It is a small organ but an essential part of our digestive system, one we cannot do without. Thus, if caught with pancreatic cancer, it is not possible to remove the organ in its entirety. What you can do is seek pancreatic cancer treatment, but it can be a long and drawn-out process. One that can drain your savings and resources. Thus, it is always recommended that you have a reliable medical insurance plan to help you in such situations.

Health insurance with a cancer cover from Tata AIG may be what you need in situations like these. Our medical insurance plan allows you to use the facilities of over 7200 hospitals nationwide and also offers you a cashless facility, so you don't need to worry about finances while dealing with cancer. When dealing with the aggressive treatment of cancer, choose AIG’s health insurance which enjoys the loyalty of thousands of families, to be your help and support. Buy our health insurance online and leave your financial worries behind. Focus on what is important; gaining knowledge about pancreatic cancer and how you can fight it.

Before we get into the semantics of what causes pancreatic cancer or pancreatic cancer cure, let us begin by understanding what our pancreas is. The pancreas is a small gland with the appearance of a hockey puck that sits beneath the stomach. When the pancreas stops working properly, it causes imbalanced sugar levels, which causes the body to come to a halt. Because blood glucose levels and the pancreas are inextricably linked, diabetes is one of the primary causes of pancreatic diseases. Contrarily, if there is a disorder in the pancreas, your blood sugar level will be unstable. Note that diabetes is a lifestyle disease that needs long-term treatment. Suppose you have a family history of diabetes or risk developing it due to other factors. In that case, you should think of the benefits of health insurance for yourself and your family.

Pancreatic cancer begins in the cells of your pancreas, an organ in your abdomen located behind the bottom half of your stomach. The pancreas produces hormones that enhance digestion as well as compounds that help digestion.

A number of tumours, both cancerous and noncancerous, can affect the pancreas. The most common kind of pancreas cancer begins in the cells that line the ducts that carry digestive proteins from the pancreas (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma). Pancreatic cancer diagnoses are rarely made early on when it is most curable.

This is due to the fact that it frequently does not present pancreatic cancer symptoms until it has migrated to other organs. It is only after the spread of the disease that the problem becomes recognisable, but often, it is too late at this point, and pancreatic cancer surgery is the only option.

Exocrine and neuroendocrine tumours are the types of pancreatic cancer tumours that form in the pancreas. Exocrine tumours account for over 93 per cent of all pancreatic tumours, and adenocarcinoma is the most frequent kind of pancreatic cancer. When people claim they have pancreatic cancer, they usually mean pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The most frequent kind is ductal adenocarcinoma, which starts in the pancreatic ducts.

The remaining pancreatic tumours, accounting for around 7% of all cases, are neuroendocrine (NETs), also known as pancreatic NETs (PNETs), are islet cell tumours, or islet cell carcinoma. Insulinoma is a tumour in an insulin-producing cell. Among the worst things about pancreatic cancer is that those at risk of developing the disease seldom do and those with no markers fall victim to it. Thus, no matter how safe you think you are, getting medical insurance plan with a cancer cover is always recommended.

There is no one right answer as to what causes cancer. There are many factors, genetic and non-genetic, that lead to the development of the disease. While the causes of pancreatic cancer are not definitive, doctors and scientists have a list of possible causes of the disease.

1. Consuming cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products.
2. Obesity increases the risk as well. Even if you do not fall under the category of obese, having excess fat around your hips increases the risk of pancreatic cancer.
3. Diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, connected to obesity, is a problem. If an older person who is healthy in terms of weight and BMI, suddenly develops diabetes, it could be a symptom of pancreatic cancer.
4. Dry cleaning staff and metal workers are both exposed to chemicals which can cause pancreatic cancer.
5. Chronic pancreatitis is a long-term infection of the pancreas mainly caused by smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
6. Hereditary acute pancreatitis is caused by genetic alterations (mutations) handed down from one generation to the next.
7. Being over the age of 45.
8. Men are more prone to the disease than women.
9. People of the African heritage are more to the disease than others.

Pancreatic cancer is such a disease that you will not notice its effects of it until perhaps it is too late. But once the symptoms start showing up, these are what you may notice

1. Shooting pain from the upper stomach to the back.
2. Jaundice
3. Excessive fatigue.
4. No hunger and feeling bloated.
5. Excrement that is light in colour.
6. Loss of weight
7. Excessive blood clots.
8. The skin feels constantly scratchy.
9. Urine with a dark colour.
10. A person without diabetes develops it or it worsens in an older patient.
11. Puking and nausea

If you have such indicators and have suddenly developed diabetes or pancreatitis (a severe condition caused by pancreas inflammation), your doctor may suspect pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is harder to identify in its initial stages. This is since the pancreas cannot be felt during a typical inspection. If your doctor suspects cancer of the pancreas, they may ask you for a few tests, including imaging. It is also possible to perform endoscopic ultrasonography.

A blood test can detect a chemical known as a tumour marker. Elevated concentrations of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, a specific protein secreted by pancreatic cancer cells, may indicate the presence of a tumour in pancreatic cancer.

Everyone detected with pancreatic cancer is advised to have a conversation about genetic counselling and testing with their doctor. This is to check if a hereditary factor causes their illness. If so, they can get their next of kin checked in advance, and if they have any of the markers, treatment can start ahead of time.

The progression of pancreatic cancer can lead to consequences such as:

1. Loss of weight. Various circumstances can cause weight loss in persons with pancreatic cancer. As cancer drains the body's energy, weight loss may occur. It may be difficult to eat due to nausea and vomiting induced by cancer therapies or a tumour pressing on your stomach. Your pancreas may not be producing enough digestive fluids, causing your body to have trouble processing nutrients from food.

2. Jaundice. Jaundice can be caused by pancreatic cancer that restricts the bile duct in the liver. Yellow skin and eyes, black urine, and pale faeces are all signs of the disease. In most cases, jaundice appears without the presence of gastrointestinal pain.

3. Sharp Pain. A developing tumour in your belly may strain on nerves, producing excruciating discomfort. Pain relievers can make you feel more at ease. Radiation and chemotherapy treatments, for example, may help limit tumour development and offer some pain reduction.

4. Obstacle to Bowel Movement. Pancreatic cancer that has progressed to or pressed on the duodenum, the opening part of the small intestine, can prevent digested food from passing from the stomach to the intestines. To keep your small intestine open, a tube (stent) may be implanted.

Pancreatic cancer has five main stages that are identifiable. The extent, as well as the position of the cancer, and if the disease has spread, it will determine your diagnosis:

• Stage 0: Irregular cells in the pancreatic wall characterise this stage, which is also known as carcinoma in situ. The cells may become cancerous and migrate to other tissues in the area.
• Stage 1: At this stage, the tumour is located in the pancreas.
• Stage 2: The tumour has spread and has expanded to neighbouring tissues, organs, or lymph nodes.
• Stage 3: The illness has infiltrated the main blood vessels of the pancreas. It's also possible that it's spread to adjacent lymph nodes.
• Stage 4: The disease has progressed to other body parts, such as the liver, lungs, or stomach cavity, in stage four pancreatic cancer.

Make sure to talk about it to your doctor and learn what the next steps need to be.

Treatment for pancreatic cancer is determined by several factors, including the location of the tumour, its stage, your overall health, and if cancer has progressed beyond the pancreas. Several treatment options are available, including:

• Surgically: The pancreas' malignant portion is surgically excised (resection). It's also possible to remove lymph nodes around the pancreas. A pancreatectomy is a physical procedure that involves the removal of the pancreas or a portion of the pancreas. If you have a tumour near the head of your pancreas, the Whipple treatment may be recommended. The head of the pancreas, the duodenum (first section of the small intestine), the gallbladder, a portion of the bile duct, and adjacent lymph nodes are all removed during this surgical procedure.

• Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses high-powered radiation to kill cancer cells.

• Chemotherapy is a cancer-killing treatment that uses chemicals and powerful medications.

• It may, however, benefit about 1% of persons with the condition and a specific genetic mutation.

• Targeted therapy: It is aimed at specific genes and pathways that aid in cancer growth. We usually use genetic testing to see if a targeted treatment is good for you.

• Clinical trials: These are specialised therapies that are still being tested and are in the process of complete approval. Not everyone can get into a clinical trial.

If you do the following, you may lower your chance of pancreatic cancer:

1. Quit smoking. If you smoke, make an effort to quit. Consult your doctor about quitting methods such as medicines, support groups, and nicotine substitution therapy. Don't start smoking if you don't already.
2. Maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). Maintain your current weight if you are at a suitable weight. If you need to reduce weight, strive for a 0.5 to 1-kilogramme weight loss every week. Integrate workouts with greens, fruits, whole grains, and lesser portions to reduce weight.
3. Make a conscious effort to eat a balanced diet. A diet rich in colourful fruits and vegetables and healthy grains may help lower your cancer risk.
4. If pancreatic cancer is part of your family history, talk to a genetic counsellor. They can go over your family's medical history with you and see if a genetic test would help you recognise your danger of pancreatic cancer or other malignancies.

To put things very simply, treating cancer is very expensive. The treatment is long-drawn and exhaustive, and each therapy or session can cost you thousands of rupees. And the truth is, there is no guarantee that cancer will not come back. No matter how much savings you may have racked up; it will fall short. Also, if you think it through, it is not feasible to spend whatever savings you have on one person. There will be other people or situations which will require your savings. And why put the onus on your savings when you have an alternative?

Health insurance providers are here only to help you in such situations. If you have a medical insurance plan with cancer cover, you will not have to worry about putting together finances. You can focus on recuperating, whether for yourself or your family. A cancer cover from Tata AIG provides you with a list of benefits, including cashless service, a network of 7200 plus hospitals and even a Covid cover. You will have nothing more to worry about. The most important thing is that you need not worry about a claim going through with us, as we have a 94.21% claim settlement rate. So go that extra mile and buy that cancer cover, a comprehensive health insurance plan is what you need for peace of mind and financial security.

Before you go ahead and buy a health insurance policy, keep these things in mind, which will help you immensely later on.

• Insured Amount: The expense of medical treatment has risen in tandem with the developments in India's healthcare industry. Taking this into account, it's critical to select an adequate sum covered so that you can cope with the disease without incurring additional financial hardship.
• Features and Benefits: You must review all of the cancer insurance plan's details ahead of time and select the one with the most coverage.
• Cancer Types and Stages: It is important to check the forms and phases of cancer covered by the insurance plan before purchasing it online. You can research cancer insurance policies from different providers and select one that offers more coverage.
• Waiting Period: Be sure you are aware of the waiting period in your policy before you can avail yourself of the benefits.
• Renewal Period: Examine the age cap for renewal and related terms to ensure that you can keep renewing your medical insurance plan for a longer period and receive a significant payout if an unpleasant event.

To settle the claim, you must follow a simple and uncomplicated procedure:

• A formal claim or notice must be presented within 7 days of the prospective loss or the start of the loss. In any case, no more than 30 days should be allowed to pass.
• Within 30 days of the loss, the claim form and any supporting papers should be filed. However, if you can provide a legitimate cause for not submitting the paperwork on time, your claim may not be denied. This is usually appropriate if the insured has no control over the circumstances.
• Within 15 days following your release from the hospital, you must submit any paperwork and medical records connected to your treatment. In certain instances, failure to submit the same may be allowed.
• We will present you with the compensation in a lump sum as quickly as feasible if all of the documents are confirmed to be legitimate and believable.

TATA AIG has been offering industry-leading insurance services for many years. We offer a variety of insurance policies in various categories, all of which provide the best potential advantages. Our customer service representatives assist our clients in selecting the appropriate insurance plan for their needs. We have a high claim-to-settlement ratio and a loyal and happy client base.

Tata AIG’s cancer cover offers you the following inclusions in its plans:

• A disorder in which a malignant tumour grows uncontrollably and spreads throughout the body killing normal tissues. A specialist should verify this prognosis and be backed by histological evidence of cancer. Sarcoma, lymphoma, and leukaemia are among the cancers covered.
• Pre- and post-hospitalization charges, ambulance coverage, residential care hospitalisation, associated medical fees, childcare treatments, and so on are all covered. These advantages may change amongst insurance plans such as Critical Illness, Medicare Protect, Medicare Premier, and Wellsurance Plans.
• You can consult another doctor if you are dissatisfied with one doctor's diagnosis. The insurance coverage will cover all of the expenses incurred.

Some specific exclusions under Tata AIG’s cancer cover are as follows:

a) Tumours are classified as non-invasive or premalignant tumours that display malignant alterations in situ. Breast carcinoma-in-situ and cervical dysplasia are among the exclusions, but they aren't the only ones. Skin cancer, except for aggressive malignant melanoma. c) All prostate tumours with a Gleason score of 6 or less. d) Microcarcinoma of the Bladder e) Tumours, without exception, in the existence of HIV infection f) Thyroid papillary microcarcinoma with a diameter of less than 1 cm g) RAI stage 3 is less than CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukaemia) is a type of leukaemia that affects the blood.

Other general exclusions under a Tata AIG medical policy plan are:

a) Any pre-existing ailment that was not declared at the time of application, as well as any difficulties that resulted. b) If the acute disease's signs and symptoms were evident before the policy's effective date or emerged within 90 days of the policy's effective date. The claim will be denied as a result of this. c) Any sickness induced by a psychological or physical disorder that prevailed when the policy was issued or at the time the coverage began, whichever comes first. d) Sexually transmitted illness (STD) or self-inflicted damage (suicide, for example). It also includes injuries sustained when participating in adventure activities such as paragliding, sky diving, etc. e) Any therapy or inquiry that is not primarily connected to the covered injury or sickness.

There are two ways you can easily buy Tata AIG’s Health Insurance Plans at any given time. They are:

• Through a company branch - If you prefer to deal directly with the insurer, you can go to any branch and make your purchase there and then. Buying your policy straight from the insurance company and paying for it in person is generally safe and secure.

• Buy health insurance online - You can also purchase the plan online. Go to Tata AIG Health Insurance's official website to place an order. There is a list of all the health care policies available. Examine the policies and pamphlets to choose which one best meets your needs. Purchasing the plan online is incredibly simple and convenient. You can do it from the comfort of your own home. It's possible to do it at any time of day or night. When purchasing a Tata AIG medical insurance plan coverage online, you have a lot of versatility and convenience.

The eligibility criteria to qualify for a medical insurance plan from Tata AIG are:

Age Requirements

Individuals over the age of 18 and up to 65 years old can acquire health insurance coverage; however, dependent children must be between the ages of 90 days and 25 years old. It is advised you buy a medical insurance plan once you reach the age of 25 to profit from a cheaper health insurance premium cost.

Pre-medical Examination

Pre-medical testing or examinations are typically required for policy buyers over 45 or 55.

Pre-Existing Conditions

For pre-existing conditions, there is a 2-4 year wait time during which you will not be able to get the full advantages of your medical insurance cover.

The documents required are:

• Medical insurance bills for in-patient hospitalisation signed by the insured.
• The supervisor at the hospital/network hospital’s sign on the discharge card.
• Claim form with the insured's signature from a personalised list
• A valid medical inquiry report.
• The receipts from the medical store and the doctor's script.
• A list of all hospital commodities ordered by the doctor, along with all necessary information.
• Copies of the prior year's health insurance plan.
• Doctor's appointment bills and receipts.

As much as we may try, cancer can have a way of sneaking up on us. Thus, the only thing to do is be one step ahead and prepare for the battle before it knocks at your door. Getting a cancer cover today is almost necessary, and getting it from a reliable source is even more important. A good health insurance plan is like a friend in need, one that will stand by you every step of the way and help you when the going gets tough. So, get your health insurance plan with cancer cover from Tata AIG today!