How does prepaid medical insurance differ from supplementary health insurance plans offered by health insurance companies in Colombia?
Supplementary health plans and prepaid medicines have some things in common, such as being voluntary health plans and being an additional service to what the EPS offers.
However, they have many differences, primarily in the scope or limits of coverage they include. Here are some of the main differences between supplemental plans and prepaid medical plans.
Both options have many differences. Photo: iStock
According to information on the official Colmédica website, prepaid medicine plans generally offer much broader coverage options than supplemental plans.
- To purchase this type of plan, you must be affiliated with a contributory EPS, regardless of the company with which you have your prepaid medical plan.
- With prepaid medical companies, you can access more than 100 specialties without first seeing a general practitioner, depending on the plan you choose.
- Prepaid medicine offers a broader network and hospital coverage, with its own Medical Centers and VIP Clinics, depending on the plan, according to Colmédica.
- Prepaid medical coverage includes home care with greater geographic coverage, including services such as therapies, exams, laboratory tests, and general medical consultations.
- In some plans, it is possible to retain seniority acquired in other prepaid medical companies and hospitalization and surgery policies.
Prepaid medicine plans offer much broader coverage options. Photo: iStock
Meanwhile, supplementary plans, as their name suggests, are plans that complement the services of the EPS, so in most cases, it is only possible to enroll in a supplementary plan offered by your EPS.
- In supplementary plans, access to some specialties requires prior consultation with a general practitioner.
- Supplementary plans offer a slightly broader hospital network than the one offered by the EPS and are subject to the coverage limits established by the entity.
- The network of medical centers is generally shared with EPS users, so appointment times may be compromised due to delays in care. Some supplemental plans offer home care with a general practitioner.
- In some cases , it's possible to retain the seniority of other supplemental plans, prepaid medicines, and policies; however, it's important to keep in mind that they don't have all the coverage of the latter two types of plans mentioned.
It's important to note that prepaid medical plans or health insurance policies do not validate the seniority of a supplemental plan.
Here are the entities that offer these plans. Photo: iStock
The companies regulated by the National Health Superintendency and allowed to offer prepaid medical plans in Colombia are the following:
- Colmédica.
- Colsanitas.
- Medplus.
- Coomeva.
- Axa Colpatria
The following are the EPSs regulated by the National Health Superintendency, which may offer complementary plans:
- Compensate.
- EPS Sura.
- Famisanar EPS
- New EPS
- Total Health.
- Sanitas EPS
- Western Health Service EPS (SOS EPS).
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