IRDA Asks Companies to Explore the Possibility of Daycare Insurance Claim

Insurance regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has asked companies to explore the possibility of including daycare treatment in hospitals under health policies. The IRDA has also asked the Union Health Ministry to look into the pricing of various health procedures where there is a lack of scientific standardization and lack of comprehensive database in terms of infrastructure and hygiene of healthcare centres across the country.

IRDA Chairman J Hari Narayana commented that the number and scope of daycare procedures have to expand within the context of insurance policies to enable these kinds of procedures to take effect and be incorporated.

Under daycare procedure, a patient is admitted to a hospital for limited hours, which does not need hospitalization beyond 24 hours. The present healthcare policies grants claim for patients who have been hospitalized for 24 hours or beyond.

Presently, there is no insurance coverage available for HIV+ people or for those with mental illnesses. Also the absence of policies for regular management of chronic illnesses like diabetes is another area of concern.

Source-Medindia