IRDAI has included AYUSH treatment
The latest move stems from the growing demand for Ayush treatments, because of which there is a growing need to consider these treatments at par with other treatments. Insurance regulator IRDAI has recently issued directions to all insurance companies telling them to cover AYUSH treatment just as other treatments. AYUSH refers to the treatment given under alternative therapies of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.
The IRDAI circular says, “the insurance companies will have a board approved policy for providing AYUSH coverage which will include their approach towards placing AYUSH treatments at par with other treatments for the purpose of health insurance so as to provide an option for the policyholders to choose treatment of their choice.”
“The policy will also contain the quality parameters as well as procedure for enrolling AYUSH hospitals/ day care centres as network providers for the purpose of providing cashless facilities,” the circular adds.
For this purpose, the Ministry of Ayush on Oct 4, 2023 constituted a ‘Core Group of Experts for Insurance Sector’. The insurance companies are told to actively engage with this group in order to develop required modalities for providing Ayush coverage.
