Cashless insurance for Ayurveda patients could be available soon
30-May-24 04:36:27
The Ministry of Ayush organised a sensitisation event for insurance companies and Ayush hospital owners to ensure easy access to Ayush treatments for everyone.
In a bid to make Ayush treatments available to the last mile patient, stakeholders gathered to discuss the regulatory framework and the policy support needed to mainstream Ayush treatments in health insurance schemes at the sensitization program organised by the Ministry of Ayush for Insurance Companies and Ayush Hospital Owners at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The meeting was necessitated due to the recent Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDAI) directions to bring Ayush treatments under health insurance cover effective April 01, 2024 and the need to create a deeper understanding between Ayush hospitals & healthcare providers and the insurance sector stakeholders, and foster affordable Ayush healthcare to citizens.Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, said, “The aim is to ensure easy access to Ayush treatments for everyone. A significant milestone was achieved with the joint publication of standard treatment guidelines by DGHS & Ayush (STG), marking a first-of-its-kind integration in India. This focus on accessibility is coupled with remarkable growth in the sector, with the manufacturing of Ayush products increasing eightfold in the last decade.”
Prof. Tanuja Nesari, Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) said, “We’re making significant strides in integrating Ayush treatments into the mainstream healthcare system. Our collaboration with insurance companies focuses on enabling cashless access to Ayush services through the TPA network. Today’s meeting is a pivotal step in this journey, bringing us closer to realizing our vision of making Ayush treatments accessible and affordable for all”.
Speaking about the need for separate registry for Ayush hospitals, Prof. Bejon Kumar Mishra, Chairman, Core Group of Experts for Insurance, Ministry of Ayush, said, “A key recommendation is to promote Ayush HCO empanelment and Adopt MoAyush approved Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs), ICD-TM2 codes and increase Ayush representation on key committees.”
Rajiv Vasudevan, MD & CEO, Apollo AyurVAID Hospitals, said, “The current insurance services are largely focused on surgical and emergency services but two-third of the sector belongs to people dealing with long-term diseases and effective healthcare is required. The question is what do patients with long-standing issues, recurring issues autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases do? It’s time to go from symptomatic relief to identifying and working on the root cause of the disease(s). Ayush treatments will also be highly effective in case of palliative care and end-of-life care.”
“We expect General Insurance Council to provide the leadership on behalf of its 39 general insurance, standalone health insurance, reinsurance and specialized insurance companies to be an integral component in publishing the White Paper,” Mishra added.
Dr. Kousthubha Upadhyaya, Adviser, Ministry of Ayush, said, “The Ministry of Ayush has constituted a Core Group of experts for the insurance sector in October 2023 with the objective to advice and monitor insurance-related matters in the Ayush sector and conduct a study of current status of Ayush systems under health insurance and to create a white paper.”
“The Ministry of Ayush and NHA are working towards inclusion of Ayush interventions in Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY),” he said.
This event is a significant step towards integrating traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare, ensuring broader insurance coverage for Ayush treatments, and promoting overall health and well-being.
SOURCE & CREDIT: FINANCIAL EXPRESS