Hyderabad: Health insurance customers or Mediclaim customers are all set to benefit in the coming year. Insurance regulatory development authority (IRDA) is now shifting its focus from illness to wellness.
From the year 2020 health insurance policies may help you follow a fitness regime by offering routine health and dental check-ups, offer discounts on your protein supplements/health boosters, medicines and even connect you to a yoga center or nearby gym.
It is better to stop something bad from happening than it is to deal with it after it has happened. India’s health-care system focused on treatment rather than prevention. Such a system could in the future start on struggling to meet the challenge.
Many of the diseases to a large extent is driven by a lack of awareness among Indians regarding the importance of diet, exercise and giving up bad habits like consumption of tobacco. The prevention efforts, to date, have been limited to a few media campaigns.
India is the 7th largest economy in the world but insurance penetration is as low as 4%. Health Insurance today is a primary necessity and if ignored can lead to financial and emotional stress.
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Cancer - one of the very dreaded diseases is growing at a rapid pace. Many individual doctors and NGOs are trying their best in spreading awareness amongst fellow citizens. There are few cancers like lung cancers, oral cancers and cervical cancers which can be prevented to some extent by lifestyle changes such as no tobacco use and getting the vaccination while others like breast cancer, liver cancers if detected during early stages, can be managed by modern medicine.
In western countries individuals are advised to undergo periodic check-ups to stay healthy. Now with IRDA has made up its mind to put in place the wellness and preventive features in health insurance. The insurance regulator has issued draft guidelines suggesting insurers offer outpatient consultations or treatments, health check-up diagnostics, and redeemable vouchers to obtain protein supplements.
The health care tradition followed to date had too much emphasis on treatment. The setback with this approach is that we missed important opportunities for risk reduction. To carry ahead India’s healthy demography; there is a clear need for prevention of a disease developing in the first place and, once it has developed, early diagnosis and treatment.
What does it mean for the consumers?
- Consumers will be able to avail value-added benefits such as OPD consultations, pharmaceuticals, health check-ups & diagnostics, nutrition, yoga, gym memberships, etc under the purview of wellness & preventive benefits
- Wider choice for consumers with an enhancement of product portfolios by insurers
- Early diagnoses will enable customers to lead healthier, more successful lives'
Now is the time to focus on Prevention.
