With the objective of providing inclusive healthcare to patients, the Insurance and Regulatory Authority of India (IRDAI) has eliminated almost 10 items from the list of procedures under optional cover. These include Dental Treatment besides Psychiatric, stem cell and infertility treatment. IRDAI on Monday said that it has partially modified guidelines of health insurance standardisation and removed a few items from the list of items that come under optional cover offered by insurers.
Even though there are umpteen private medical insurance providers, a major chunk of the population opts for government funded schemes. The claim ratio is the factor that impact the choice of insurance. While for private insurance companies the claim ratio is only 67%, for public insurance companies its 120%. Most of the private insurance companies cover people in the urban region of the country and almost 89% are public insurance companies. The people have to pay heavy premiums for all of their policies including individual ones expect for family floater due to the higher coverage share these companies have to offer.
The treatment includes one that does not need hospitalisation but is common amongst people like infertility treatment, sub fertility treatment, hormone replacement therapy, obesity treatment, assisted conception procedures, stem cell implantation, and treatment of sexually transmitted conditions like, retro virus, HIV or AIDS, other than the ones mentioned above. As per IRDAI list there are 199 items lists under optional cover by insurance providers. These also include a list of medical accessories like x-ray films, slings, bandages, baby products and even internet facility to name a few. At times, they are offered at an additional premium while they are excluded from the standard health plan.
Furthermore, as per the national health profile 2018, created by central bureau of Health Intelligence, around just about 35% of the people of the country who opt for health insurance. As per a report from WHO, 70% of the people in India paid the health expenses from their own pockets.
Well, IRDAI is in the process of streamlining the standard health care insurance package inclusions with an objective of providing the common man, a more inclusive healthcare package that suits their pocket and covers the common conditions as well.
Know more about Rajarajeswari Dental College and Hospital in Bangalore
*Sourced form the Internet