Ayush Ministry organises sensitisation event for Insurance Companies and Ayush Hospitals
Stakeholders Discuss Ways to Widen Ayush Insurance Coverage
Regulatory Framework and STGs also Discussed
Aim is to Ensure Easy Access to Ayush Treatments for Everyone
With the
objective to make Ayush treatments available to the last mile patient,
stakeholders gathered to discuss the regulatory framework and 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).
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.
Addressing the gathering, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, 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. The aim is to ensure easy access to
Ayush treatments for everyone. This focus on accessibility is coupled with
remarkable growth in the sector, with the manufacturing of Ayush products increasing
eightfold in the last decade.”
Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) Prof. Tanuja Nesari, 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, Chairman, Core Group of Experts for Insurance,
Ministry of Ayush Prof. Bejon Kumar Misra said, “a key recommendation is to
promote Ayush HCO empanelment and Adopt Ministry of Ayush approved Standard
Treatment Guidelines (STGs), ICD-TM2 codes and increase Ayush representation on
key committees.”
MD & CEO, Apollo AyurVAID Hospitals Rajiv Vasudevan,
while speaking about the penetration of Ayush in Insurance Sector from the
Ayush Hospitals’ Perspective 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,” further continued Mishra.
The program that saw many stakeholders give their
perspectives from both the insurance sector and Ayush Hospitals covering a
range of issues including Insurance coverage in Ayush Sector, Standard
Treatment Guidelines and penetration of Ayush in Insurance Sector and
onboarding of Ayush hospitals on ROHINI platform and empanelment for insurance
coverage.
Adviser, Ministry of Ayush said “Ministry of Ayush Dr.
Kousthubha Upadhyaya, has constituted a Core Group of experts for Insurance
Sector in October 2023 with the objective to advice and monitor insurance
related matters in Ayush Sector and conduct a study of current status of Ayush
systems under health insurance and to create a white paper.”
Ministry of Ayush and NHA are working towards inclusion
of Ayush interventions in Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana
(AB-PMJAY), he said.
Deputy Director General (Ayush) Ayush vertical in
Director General of Health Services Dr. A. Raghu said,
“A flat rate design is required since Ayush treatments require longer stays and
should be classified on the basis of Rog Bal (disease strength) and the Rogi
Bal (patients’ strength).” He also emphasised level levels of medical
management (Mild/Moderate/Severe) for each disease where treatment duration
should be systematically derived by experts.