Does India Cover Mental Health In Health Insurance? Let’s Find Out.

Does India cover mental Wellbeing in Insurance?

What are the disorders covered in Insurance?

World Health Organization (WHO) viewpoint

In India, costs associated with mental diseases were never previously covered by health insurance. The scope of health insurance coverage only covered physical health conditions and illnesses. Fortunately, a significant change in the same has been noticed recently. People with mental diseases are opening up about their conditions as awareness of mental health issues has grown. The ongoing pandemic has also drawn attention to the fact that people’s emotional as well as physical health must be taken into account. Among Indians, mental health has emerged as a significant health concern.

According to a recent study, approximately 1 in every 20 Indians experiences mental health problems. As of October 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 7.5% of Indians were affected by mental problems. In 2020, the figures have significantly increased. The value of health insurance coverage has also significantly increased during these difficult times.

Let’s see what mental well-being is

Psychological, social, and emotional well-being are all parts of one’s mental health. It significantly affects how someone feels, thinks, and behaves. Every stage of life requires maintaining one’s mental health. It also has an impact on how we handle stress, connect with others, and make decisions. A person’s inability to think, work, memorise, act, or even make decisions is referred to as having a mental disorder. It causes cognitive impairments and even makes going about daily tasks challenging.

The absence of mental diseases is only one aspect of mental wellness. It has variable degrees of difficulty and suffering, is experienced differently by each individual, and may have very different social and therapeutic implications. It exists on a complex continuum. Mental health issues include psychosocial impairments, mental illnesses, and other mental states linked to high levels of distress, functional limitations, or risk of self-harm. Although this is not always or necessarily the case, people with mental health conditions are more likely to have lower levels of mental well-being.

Does India cover mental Wellbeing in Insurance?

Yes, mental diseases are covered by health insurance in India. People had not previously considered it vital for medical insurance to cover psychiatric problems. However, there has been a rise in awareness of people’s mental wellbeing as more people come forward and discuss mental health difficulties. Now, practically everyone considers it to be a top priority.

Because of this, the Insurance Regulatory and Development authority, IRDAI mandated in August 2018 that mental diseases be covered by health insurance. The insurance regulator has ordered all insurance providers to include mental health as part of health insurance policies and to treat it the same as physical illnesses. The standardized legislation enables health insurance coverage to cover psychological problems, mental disease, stress, and neurological ailments. IRDAI’s advancement in the field of health insurance was a significant milestone in the ecosystem for national health insurance development. Insurance coverage for mental illnesses would benefit persons with mental illnesses and lessen the financial burden that follows.

What are the insurance benefits?

When it comes to in-patient hospitalisation expenses, such as treatment costs, diagnostic test costs, medication prices, ambulance costs, room rent, etc., mental health insurance offers coverage advantages that are comparable to those of a standard health plan.
The policy covers those with mental illnesses that impair their cognition, memory, thinking, mental capacity, behaviour, and decision-making abilities.
A few insurance companies offer Out Patient Department, OPD benefits that pay for mental health consultation, therapy, and rehabilitation.

What are the disorders covered in Insurance?

Acute depression
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Anxiety disorders
Bipolar disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Schizophrenia
Dementia
Psychotic disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Mood disorder

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According to World Health Organization (WHO)

The WHO’s “World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All” encourages all nations to move quickly with the action plan’s implementation. It asserts that by concentrating on three “paths to transformation,” all nations may make significant advancements in improving the mental health of their citizens:

Increase the importance placed on mental health by people, communities, and governments, and match that importance with dedication, participation, and investment from all parties, across all fields;
In order to better protect mental health and ward off mental health conditions, reshape the physical, social, and economic aspects of environments in homes, schools, workplaces, and the larger community;
Bolster mental health services so that a community-based network of easily accessible, reasonably priced, and high-quality services and supports can meet the full spectrum of mental health needs.

Protecting and advancing human rights, empowering those with lived experience, and guaranteeing a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach are all priorities for WHO. In order to strengthen a group response to mental health and facilitate a change toward improved mental health for all, WHO continues to work on a national and international level, especially in humanitarian circumstances, to offer governments and partners with the evidence, tools, and technical support.