Insurance firms must ensure that all health insurance plans cover mental illness, said an Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) circular. Insurers are required to take action in line with the new regulation by 31 October 2022.
According to the regulator, all insurance products must “comply with the provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, without any deviation”.
The act requires all insurers to offer medical insurance for the treatment of mental illnesses in the same way they do for physical illnesses.
The circular also mentioned that many health insurance plans did not cover new-borns and infants with congenital mental development problems and birth defects. These will be covered from the start by health insurance policies that offer coverage to unborn or new-born babies, without the imposition of a waiting period, sub-limits or any other restrictions.
