Provide cover for mental illness: Irdai to insurers

The Irdai notification has come as a major relief for the community of patients, activists and doctors working on mental health in India.

The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has stayed an order of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) that suspended the registration of third-party administrator E-Meditek Insurance TPA.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India notification draws reference to India’s Mental Healthcare Act.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has asked insurance companies to cover medical treatment for mental illnesses.

In a notification, Irdai said, “every insurer shall make provision for medical insurance for treatment of mental illness on the same basis as is available for treatment of physical illness.” The order is applicable for all insurance companies in India with immediate effect, it said.

The Irdai notification has come as a major relief for the community of patients, activists and doctors working on mental health in India. Now patients diagnosed with various ailments such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can come forward for treatment and insurance coverage.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India notification draws reference to India’s Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 which was passed by the parliament last year and came into force this May. Section 21(4) of the Act stipulates that insurers need to include mental illness coverage as well.

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