Insurance regulator mulls including Covid-19 home treatment costs under health cover

Those who are under home treatment for Covid-19 may get some relief in health cover. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is likely to include home treatment as one of the permissible claims under health cover.

“We are actively thinking of including home treatment expenses under permissible category of claims under health cover,’’ Subhash C Khuntia, Chairman, IRDAI told BusinessLine on Thursday.

As per the existing norms, expenses incurred on home isolation may not be reimbursed by insurers because they may not need subsequent hospitalisation. Under the norms, pre-hospitalisation expenses are covered by health policies when, subsequently, hospitalisation is involved, but not otherwise.

Govt certification needed

However, home treatment expenses could be covered under health insurance only in the case of non-availability of hospital beds. “This could be based on a authentic certification from the government suggesting home treatment,’’ the IRDAI chief said, adding that the modalities were being looked into.

This assumes significance as the Health Ministry had recommended home isolation/quarantine for mild Covid-19 infections without hospitalisation. With unabated spurt in cases, many states have already recommended home treatment for relatively mild cases. The insurance regulator had earlier said the costs of admissible medical expenses during the course of Covid-19 treatment, including the treatment during the quarantine period, should be settled by the insurers.