Insurance company can't rule out 'cashless' claim in Kovid's treatment, Finance Minister warns

- As a rule, cashless facility is available in network hospitals as well as temporary hospitals

New delhi date. April 23, 2021, Friday

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has expressed displeasure over the fact that many insurance companies are not providing cashless facility for the treatment of Kovid-19. He directed SC Khuntia, Director, Insurance and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), to take immediate action on complaints that insurance companies were canceling 'cashless' claims.

"Insurance companies have disposed of more than 9 lakh claims involving Rs 8,642 crore," the finance minister tweeted on Thursday. But there have been reports of some hospitals refusing cashless insurance. He has spoken to IRDAI chairman SC Khuntia and asked him to take immediate action.

In March 2020, Kovid was included in comprehensive health insurance. As per the rule, cashless facility is available in network hospitals as well as temporary hospitals, the finance minister said. IRDAI has asked insurers to settle Covid's claim on a priority basis.

Taking cognizance of this, IRDAI said that it has been clarified that the issue is that the insurance companies are obliged to make all types of treatment cashless, including hospital covid, which has a network of cashless facilities with hospitals.