Prudential introduces PRUHealth CoreChoice and PRUHealth FlexiChoice Medical Plans and an integrated digital service platform, in support of Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme launch
(1 April 2019 – Hong Kong) Prudential Hong Kong Limited (“Prudential”) is delighted to introduce two certified Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (“VHIS”) plans – PRUHealth CoreChoice Medical Plan and PRUHealth FlexiChoice Medical Plan – as well as PRUHealth Service Platform, which offers a suite of digital services to empower customers to manage their health and wellness needs.
“At Prudential, we strive to help customers lead healthier, more secure lives. We are increasingly expanding our role from protection to prevention and postponement of adverse health events as well. The launch today of the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) is a perfect opportunity for us to reinforce this commitment by strengthening our suite of Health & Protection offerings with a new set of innovative products and digital services,” said Priscilla Ng, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer of Prudential.
“We are pleased to be one of the first insurers to launch two certified VHIS plans, which provide customers with more options to suit their protection needs,” said Sady Wong, Senior Director, Product Management of Prudential,“According to our recently announced Health & Protection Study[1],almost half of the respondents (47%) have little knowledge about VHIS. To help bridge this knowledge gap, we are introducing a free PRUVHIS mobile app to help people understand VHIS better and make more informed health protection decisions.”
Support VHIS through certified products
PRUHealth CoreChoice Medical Plan, a certified VHIS Standard Plan, provides affordable, essential coverage for customers and their families. In accordance with VHIS requirements, it offers coverage from diagnosis to recovery with no lifetime benefit limit, protection against unknown pre-existing conditions before policy issuance, guaranteed renewal up to the age of 100, tax relief on premiums, and claim projection in advance of treatment.
The certified VHIS Flexi Plan – PRUHealth FlexiChoice Medical Plan – offers enhanced and customisable coverage beyond the Standard plan. It includes guaranteed renewal for life, extra protection for serious illnesses such as cancer, kidney failure and accidents, plus an optional supplementary benefit – PRUHealth Major – to cover large medical bills.
To help people better understand VHIS, Prudential has designed a free mobile app, PRUVHIS, which features:
- Essential information about VHIS
- Claimable Amount Estimate Simulator
- Premiums and tax deductions calculator
- Highlights of PRUHealth CoreChoice Medical Plan and PRUHealth FlexiChoice Medical Plan
The PRUVHIS app can be downloaded for free on App Store and Google Play app stores starting 1 April.
Support VHIS through enhanced digital services
PRUHealth Service Platform presents a suite of digital health services and self-help tools to empower customers to proactively manage their health needs to better ‘prevent’, ‘postpone’ and ‘protect’ against the onset of diseases. It includes:
- Prevent: healthy lifestyle that prevents health threats and lowers the risks of health issues
- Wellness Coach – online chat supported by a team of healthcare professionals for lifestyle, wellness and fitness advice
- Wellness Programme – a 16-week intervention programme designed to help customers reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. It is developed based on the clinically proven diabetes prevention programme of the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
- Postpone: medical services that help detect the risks of potential diseases at an early stage, allowing customers to take necessary actions to seek the best treatment to defer illnesses; and healthcare services that facilitate a better recovery.
- Cashless Arrangement Outpatient Surgery – convenient cashless arrangement for selected day-surgery procedures at designated network clinics and hospitals
- Home Care – instant booking for a customized care plan designed by an assigned personal care manager for a speedy recovery at home
- Protect: protection against medical expenses in the near and long term
- e-claims – submit medical claims and enquire medical benefits online
- Claimable Amount Estimate (Budget Certainty) – obtain an estimate of the claimable amount of a VHIS plan for a medical treatment online
The PRUHealth FlexiChoice Medical Plan and PRUHealth CoreChoice Medical Plan are underwritten by Prudential Hong Kong Limited. For further details and the terms and conditions of this plan, customers can ask Prudential for a sample of the policy document.
APPENDIX I - PRUHealth CoreChoice Medical Plan Highlights
- Guaranteed renewal up to age 100
The protection starts as soon as the plan takes effect with no waiting period[2] , and the life assured has a guaranteed right to renew the plan every year until the age of 100, irrespective of any medical history changes or claims. - Coverage from diagnosis to recovery with no lifetime benefit limit
This plan covers eligible medical costs, from initial consultation to recovery, up to itemised limits and a total annual limit of HKD 420,000. These limits are restored annually. - Coverage for unknown pre-existing and congenital conditions[3]
This plan offers protection for unknown conditions that have existed before the policy issuance with partial coverage from the 2nd to the 3rd policy year, and full coverage from the 4th policy year onwards. - Tax relief on premiums
Hong Kong tax payers are eligible to claim a concessionary deduction under salaries tax or personal assessment for qualifying premiums they pay for themselves or their loved ones under the VHIS. - Claim amount projection before treatment
To avoid unanticipated medical expenses, Prudential can provide a projection for how much the customers can claim under the plan based on the hospital or doctor’s fee estimate before the life assured receives any treatment.
APPENDIX II - PRUHealth FlexiChoice Medical Plan Highlights
- Guaranteed renewal for life
The protection starts as soon as the plan takes effect with no waiting period[4], and the life assured has a guaranteed right to renew the plan every year throughout their lifetime, irrespective of any medical history changes or claims. - Coverage from diagnosis to recovery, with no lifetime benefit limit
This Flexi plancovers all eligible medical costs from initial consultation through recovery, with itemised limit but no lifetime benefit limit. It offers three levels of protection for treatment and accommodation – ward, semi-private room or private room, to enable customers make a choice that best suits their needs. -
Extra protection against cancer, kidney failure and accidents
This plan covers prescribed non-surgical cancer treatments, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy (in-patient or at a clinic); as well as the costs of the traditional Chinese medicines after cancer treatments. The cost of dialysis at hospitals or clinics due to kidney failure is also covered.
Additionally, if the life assured is injured and needs emergency outpatient treatment in a hospital within 24 hours of an accident, their medical expense will be covered. This plan also provides a compassionate death benefit which will double in the unfortunate case of accidental death. If the life assured’s death is caused by medical negligence, the plan will pay an additional benefit on top of the compassionate death benefit.
-
Tailored extra coverage with PRUHealth Major options
PRUHealth Major is an optional supplementary major medical benefit. If eligible medical expenses of specified benefit items exceed the itemised limits of the PRUHealth FlexiChoice Medical Plan, this extra protection will cover up to 80% of the excess[5]
PRUHealth Major offers 2 levels of coverage if the life assured chooses ward or semi-private room level in their plan. They can upgrade their PRUHealth Major within the same room level to increase their benefit limit at age 45, 50, 55, or 60 of the life assured without the need to provide any medical information or undergo any medical test.
- Coverage for unknown pre-existing and congenital conditions[6]
This plan offers protection for unknown conditions that have existed before the issuance of the policy with partial coverage from the 2nd to the 3rd policy year, and full coverage from the 4th policy year onwards. - 15% no claim discount to reward good health
On each policy anniversary, if the life assured has not filed any claims for the last 36 consecutive months, the plan will offer a 15% no claim discount of the previous year’s policy’s total premiums. - Tax relief on premiums
Hong Kong tax player under this certified plan are eligible to claim a concessionary deduction under salaries tax or personal assessment for the qualifying premiums they pay for themselves or their loved ones under the VHIS. - Claim amount projection before treatment
To avoid unanticipated medical expenses, Prudential can provide a projection for how much the customers can claim under the plan based on the hospital or doctor’s fee estimate before the life assured receives any treatment.
[1] Prudential commissioned Nielsen, a marketing research company, to conduct its brand-new Prudential Health and Protection (H&P) Study”. Fieldwork was conducted from 22 November to 9 December 2018 via an online panel
[2] Except cover for unknown pre-existing conditions
[3] These include congenital conditions of which the life assured has shown symptoms or been diagnosed on or after they reached the age of 8
[4] Except cover for unknown pre-existing conditions and pregnancy complications
[5] Subject to PRUHealth Major’s itemised and annual limits
[6] These include congenital conditions of which the life assured has shown symptoms or been diagnosed on or after they reached the age of 8