Your duty to end insurance deadlock,HC reminds IRDA

Pulling up the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) for failing to resolve disputes between insurance companies and city hospitals,the Delhi High Court has directed it to take immediate action so that people with medical insurance do not face difficulties in getting cashless treatment.

“You cannot leave patients suffering saying a meeting will be convened. Patients are not getting treatment because of the dispute between insurance company and hospitals. It is your duty to act timely,” Justice Muralidhar said. The court also took strong exception to the remarks of the IRDA chairperson,published in a newspaper,in which he was quoted as saying that it is a matter between the insurance companies and the hospitals and there is no regulatory issue involved in it.

The court was hearing a petition filed by one Vishal Ahuja,whose 53-year-old mother,a cancer patient,was refused cashless treatment in the Dharamshila Cancer Hospital and other medical centres. The hospital authorities said that because of dispute between insurance companies and hospitals regarding reimbursement of medical bills,the hospitals have decided to discontinue cashless facility.