The Healthcare Act, 2017 has been implemented in May this year. Under this, all insurance companies will have to make provision for the treatment of Mental illness in medical insurance. This means that the insured person will get the expenditure on the treatment of mental illnesses. So far, a health insurance policy involved physical illnesses. Now mental illnesses will also come under this scope.
In view of this, the Insurance Regulatory IrDA has issued a circular. In this circular, insurance companies have been asked to immediately comply with this provision of the Mental Health Act. After this, the benefits that were received for the treatment of physical ailments in the health insurance policy, all benefits would be available even after having mental illnesses.
Mental illness is defined in the Act
Mental illness has been defined in the new act. According to the definition given in the Act, “Mental illness is the disorder of thinking, mood, perception or memory that affects behavior, in order to fulfill the normal demands of life or the real demands of life and mental conditions related to the drug abuse The ability to recognize is lost, but it does not include mental retardation. This condition is not complete mental development. Training is made. ”
The point here to note is that Mental retardation is not included in this definition and secondly, it involves mental conditions related to alcohol and drug abuse. Insurance companies can put the second position in the exclusion list.
What will be the effect on the existing policy
For this, insurance companies may have to send their current plans to the regulator again. This may change the current prices of the policy. Experts believe that this can increase the cost of the policy. Insurance companies can decide to increase premiums in 6 to 10 months.
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