What are Consumables in Health Insurance?

Consumables in medical insurance refers to the items, aids or medical equipment that are usually discarded after one use. These include things like syringes, gloves, PPE kits, sanitisers, masks and so on.

Simply put, these are non-medical items you are charged for during hospitalisation. Since these are required multiple times during your stay in the hospital, they are highly likely to shoot up your medical bills. Since the cost of consumables is not covered by health insurance, you must pay for these expenses out of your own pocket.

For example, Suppose you are hospitalised for three days. At the time of discharge, you are handed over a bill of ₹3 lakhs, out of which ₹50,000 is for consumables. In this case, your health insurance will only pay for ₹2.5 Lakhs; you need to pay ₹50,000 towards consumables from your pocket.

This is where a consumable cover in medical insurance comes into play. It is an optional add-on or cover that is designed to cover the cost of consumables during your hospitalisation. It is an essential rider you can buy with your health insurance to minimise your out-of-pocket expenses during medical emergencies.