Does any health insurance policy cover congenital defects?

Q: I have a nephew back in India who is 2 years and 4 months old. He cannot hear or speak. He needs a surgery called the cochlear implantation. It costs about eight lakhs for the surgery and rehabilitation. It is very expensive and his parents cannot afford it. Does any health insurance cover this kind of procedure?

A:You have not mentioned whether this ailment is congenital or after birth. I am responding under the assumption that it is congenital. No retail health insurance policy in India covers congenital defects unless the coverage of the baby is from day one under a special tailor made grouphealth insurance policy. The chances of this are also slim though.