Localized benefit ! Call center counsellors.

One of my very close friends, went through a most troublesome pregnancy.

Just fate - I would say.

Drs. would say differently, and name a 21st chromosome to cause all the issues. End of the day, the 21st chromosome was not invited by my friend to cause the rubble any way ! So fate it is ....

The baby goes in to ICU post delivery. And very predictably the Health Insurance company says, they don't cover the baby expense because of "pre-existing conditions".

Hmm..!!!  pre-existing for a baby just born ? How could that be ?? As per the insurance company though - "this is a condition that could have been predicted using aminosynthesis before birth and could have been averted".

And hence it has become a pre-existing condition for a baby ZERO day old !!!


It does not stop there... I did the bare minimum bit of picking up the argument with the insurance company through a few friends in HR. And mentioned that my friend is under severe mental stress because of the condition of the baby and physical stress also, because of the surgery. Hence when insurance doctors talk to her, they should be considerate.

To my surprise, our own HR suggested to use another benefit available to employees under mental stress. A call center counselor. This is very popular in the west, where individualism rules supreme. Most of the people in distress wont even have any one to provide a pair of listening ears. They can use a call center suave person listening to the sad soul and empathizing. That is therapy !

And  a registered benefit provided by the employer.

Here in India, one drops a bit of tear, 20 family members and friends are physically beside you to help !! What use does a call center counselor have here really ???

Shame on the HR departments copying blindly the benefits from west !!