Via three separate circulars, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has directed all insurers to standardize the terms for all policies they underwrite. It has also directed them to include TeleMedicine as part of claim settlement of policy.
It has directed insurers not to bracket costs associated with pharmacy and consumables and implants. It has also directed companies to simplify the wordings of terms and clauses of policies.
Insurers to cover TeleMedicine
The regulator has directed insurers to include TeleMedicine as part of medical consultation cover in health policies. This was done as the Medical Council of India has issued TeleMedicine practice guidelines in March 2020 enabling doctors to provide healthcare using TeleMedicine. The provision of allowing TeleMedicine shall be part of claim settlement of policy of the insurers and need not be filed separately with the authority for any modification. However, the norms of sub limits, monthly/ annual limits, etc., of the product shall apply without any relaxation.
TeleHealth has always been a promising healthcare technology and now is its time to shine. This was expected. Covid-19 has brought digital health into the mainstream like never before. Its no more about aggregators and food delivery like apps masquerading as health technology. Talk to Plus91 to know more about how to adopt TeleHealth/TeleMedicine , Clinical Analytics or Mobile Health at your hospital/clinic/research group