Ayushman Bharat credit positive for insurers: says Moody’s

Global ratings agency Moody’s termed the Ayushman Bharat Scheme as credit positive for insurers as it will help grow health premiums and provide insurers with cross-selling and servicing opportunities. However, since 23 of 29 states have chosen to run the scheme as a trust model, prospects of insurers’ growth is lower, it added. “We still expect that insurers with scale advantages and track records of managing large insurance schemes will benefit from the health programme. Additionally, the programme will provide these insurers with opportunities to cross-sell other products and services to this new customer base,” it said in a release. Due to the trust model, the agency expects that health insurance premiums will increase but only by about Rs 10,000 crore for the additional coverage to 10 crore families. “This is much lower than the current Rs 30,400 crore of coverage for 44 crore,” it added.