Employer-Sponsored Mediclaim Plans (ESMPs) – Meaning and Advantages of ESMPs

Employer-Sponsored Mediclaim Plans (ESMPs) – Know Everything

The health and well-being of the employee is one of the prime concerns of an employer. In tune with this consideration, most businesses offer group health insurance or Employer-Sponsored Mediclaim Plans to their employees as a privilege for their service to the company. This blog talks all about these plans and the benefits they provide to both the employee and the employer.

Health insurance is one of the most vital insurance plans to buy for every individual. Illness comes unannounced and so it is always better to be prepared for it well in advance. Keeping in line with this thought, a number of companies in India provide the exclusive benefit of group health insurance to their employees. This mediclaim plan covers the healthcare costs for the employee in case of any medical treatment required during the course of their service in the company.

Meaning of Employer-Sponsored Mediclaim Plan (ESMPs)

An ESMP is essentially a health insurance plan benefit that most employers offer to their employees as well as their dependent family members, including dependent parents, spouse, and young children.

While the employer chooses a specific mediclaim plan for his/her employees, the premium payable on these policies is shared between the two parties. Most companies encourage their employees to avail the ESMP benefit because of the tax benefits it offers. The employee’s share of the premium, for instance, can be paid prior to tax calculation, which would reduce the burden of state and federal taxes for the employee.

Is it Mandatory for the Employer to Provide a Mediclaim Plan in India?

The pandemic has taught the world the importance of health and securing it financially for the future. Hence, as per the latest health advisory issued by the Government of India, all employers who resume work post COVID-19 in India are required to issue a mediclaim policy to all their employees. This is mandated for all small and large business organizations.

ESMPs may have been mandated by the government in the country, however, they actually offer several advantages to both employers and employees, which make them favorable in the eyes of the organization. Let’s look at some of these below.

Benefits of Employer-Sponsored Mediclaim Plans (ESMPs) for Employees

It helps the employee to get a mediclaim plan for family sponsored by the employer. This helps the employee to take care of the financial expenses for treatment of their family members when the need arises. Here are some top benefits of ESMPs for employees:

Helps reduce financial stress:

By providing the option of availing a sponsored mediclaim plan for parents, companies can help lower the financial burden on the employee.

Makes high-quality treatment affordable:

In the absence of an ESMP, the employee would have to shell out a large amount of money for covering the healthcare costs of their family members. With the help of a mediclaim plan, they need not worry about it. They can also go for the best treatment option available.

Takes care of treatment of chronic illnesses:

Chronic diseases such as mental health issues, cancer, heart disease, and the like, often involve long and expensive treatments. With the availability of ESMPs, these chronic health conditions can be treated without worrying about the financial strain they would put on the family.

Boosts the employee’s morale: An ESMP offers a huge incentive to the employee to work for the company by serving as an excellent reward for their service.

Benefits of ESMPs for Employers

These plans are equally beneficial to the employer as well. Here are some reasons why:

Better incentive results in higher productivity:

When employees are rewarded with employer-sponsored mediclaim benefits, they too work with all their vigor and this often results in a highly productive workforce for the company.

Tax benefits:

The premium payable for ESMPs enjoys tax benefits in the form of deductions for the company in the annual tax filing.

Whom is an ESMP Ideal For?

The Employer-Sponsored Mediclaim Plans are specifically designed for the employees of an organization to help them cover the healthcare costs of their dependents. This is why these plans are ideal to choose if you have to support expenses for senior citizens in the family or young kids. Cashless mediclaim plans work best in case of emergency hospitalization required for old parents or any other member in the family.

Besides this, there is also the option of mediclaim plans for pregnancy covered under employer-sponsored health insurance. This facility allows the employee to provide for all maternity and childbirth-related costs of their spouse during pregnancy. This can considerably help relieve the financial burden on the parents-to-be at this time.