Don’t discriminate between patients with cash, cashless insurance policies: IRDA

IRDA has recently urged the hospitals not to discriminate between patients having cash and cashless policies while treating COVID-19 cases. It also asked the insurers to see to it that cashless services are available for COVID-19 patients who are insured.

The direction of IRDAI comes amid reports that some families of COVID-19 patients who were allegedly forced to opt for cash payment for settling hospital bills despite having cashless insurance policies.

K Ganesh, IRDA Member (Life), during a virtual interactive session with the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, stated, “We have requested the hospitals not to discriminate between cash and cashless patients. We have written to the insurers as well, urging them to make sure that the agreement between the companies and hospitals is honoured. I am sure these difficulties will be addressed.”