Sovereign chief officer product, Len Elikhis, says the changes are a "modernisation" of its health policy to bring them into line with customers' expectations.

While there are a number of changes the key one is around its cover of cancer care. It is extending cover for chemotherapy treatments approved by Medsafe but not funded by Pharmac, and these are also being made to Sovereign's legacy products

Ongoing medical advancements are creating the need for health insurance products to evolve to ensure New Zealanders benefit from the improvements. In response to medical advancements.

The enhancements give Sovereign health customers a range of increased benefits including access to unlimited surgical cover, extended cancer care, treatment anywhere in the world, along with a range of benefits designed to support customer’s pre and post treatment. 

Elikhis, says the enhancements reinforce Sovereign’s commitment to providing health cover that is truly comprehensive and meets the changing needs of the customer.

“At Sovereign we’re taking the big picture approach to supporting our customers. As medical treatments become more advanced they can require additional support services. For instance, without undergoing a dental evaluation it isn’t possible to proceed with heart valve replacement surgery. These treatments can be critical to a customer’s full recovery and long-term well-being.

Sovereign’s health cover enhancements include:

• Unlimited surgical benefit: Surgical claim amounts are now unlimited.
• Outpatient treatment costs: Within six months after surgery (or three, in the case of one of our older products) customers can claim for physiotherapy and prescription costs relating to surgery.
• Extended Cancer Care: Customers can now claim for breast symmetry surgery following a mastectomy along with an increased post-cancer treatment care and support benefit.
• Get treated anywhere in the world: Customers can choose to undergo treatment anywhere in world.
• Dental support prior to major treatments: Customers can claim for recommended dental evaluationsand treatments in advance ofcertain chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments and heart valve replacement surgery.
• Increased minor surgery cover: The claim amount has been increased to $1,000 a year.

Sovereign's changes welcomed [READ ON]