Having health insurance is enough to save you from financial losses during hospitalizations?
No….
There are some hidden expenses that are not covered in your standard medical insurance, one of them is consumable items.
When we think about health insurance, our minds usually focus big-ticket items like surgery expenses, ICU charges, or hospital room rent. But what if I told you that some of the smallest items quitely inflate your bill. Such as: gloves, syringes PPE kits, bandages, etc. And these consumable items may seem minor but at the end the pile up your bill that you never expected.
What Are Consumables Items in Health Insurance?
Consumables are one-time-use medical items that basically use to maintain hygiene and reduce infection risks. From gloves and syringes to cotton swabs and PPE kits, these essentials are used once and discarded. And without these tiny tools, even the most advanced medical care wouldn’t be possible.
Some commonly used consumables in health insurance:
• Surgical gloves
• IV tubing
• Cotton, bandages, and syringes
• PPE kits (especially post-COVID)
• Oxygen masks
• Disposable surgical tools
• Sanitisers, disinfectants, and wipes
• Catheters and cannulas
These are absolutely necessary for all operations, no matter how big or small. But these consumable items are not covered under standard Mediclaim policies unless you’ve specifically added a consumable cover in your health insurance.
Why Consumables Cover Important in Health Insurance?
- Rising Medical Inflation: With rising healthcare costs in India, the price of consumables is also increasing. For a surgery costing ₹3-4 lakhs, consumables alone can account for ₹30,000–₹80,000 or even more depending on the complexity of the treatment.
- Out-of-Pocket Shocks: Many patients get surprised when their insurer deducts large portions of hospital bills due to non-covered consumable charges. Without this cover, you’ll end up paying for them despite having insurance.
- Higher Coverage, Lower Stress: By opting for a policy with consumables cover, you ensure comprehensive protection. This helps reduce out-of-pocket costs and increases the claim settlement ratio of your policy.
- Especially Relevant Post-COVID: Since the pandemic, hospitals have been using more disposable and safety-related items like PPE kits, gloves, and oxygen-related equipment – all of which are billed separately and can become expensive.
Who Really Needs Consumables Cover in 2025
Consumable cover is actually beneficial for everyone, but for some people it is absolutely essential, especially:
• Families with children or senior citizens.
• Corporate and MSME employees with employer health policies.
• HNI individuals are going for high sum insured policies.
• Anyone with a history of planned or recurring hospital treatments.
How to Get an Health Insurance With Consumables Cover?
At Insurance Mart, our expert team compares top insurance providers and curates the best Mediclaim policies with consumables cover included. We ensure our clients don’t face claim disputes and enjoy seamless claim settlement, especially for IPD (inpatient department) cases.
We help you choose policies that include:
• No room rent restrictions
• Pre-existing disease coverage
• Consumables and ICU cover
• Cashless network hospitals
We assure you that you will not have to pay anything out of pocket from the start to the end of your hospitalization.
If you still have a standard medical insurance, make it advance and convert it into a consumable cover.
