Health Insurance News

GST relief on health insurance will widen coverage, says NIC CMD

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National Insurance Company CMD Rajeswari Singh Muni has said that exempting health insurance premiums from GST could significantly boost retail uptake. A price reduction would encourage both new customers and existing policyholders to opt for higher cover.

Currently, health insurance attracts 18% GST. Singh Muni noted that health insurance already accounts for 41% of India's non-life insurance premiums, covering about 55 crore people. However, 40 crore Indians still remain uncovered, forming the "missing middle" not served by either Ayushman Bharat or paid insurance plans.

She stressed that the post-Covid period has heightened awareness about health risks, but affordability remains a barrier.

At NIC, pricing factors include age, demographics, and rising healthcare costs. Singh Muni clarified that removing GST will not raise premiums immediately, but will instead make insurance more accessible. Nearly half of NIC's portfolio is already in the health segment.

Star Health faces hospital backlash, risk of cashless service suspension

Star Health & Allied Insurance may lose its cashless service network after AHPI, representing 15,000 hospitals, accused it of unfair practices and issued a deadline of September 22 to resolve issues.

The hospitals allege Star Health enforces outdated tariffs, arbitrarily denies approvals, and rejects claims post-approval. The company has been warned that failure to address these complaints could lead to a suspension of cashless services, forcing policyholders to switch to reimbursement mode.

Star Health rejected the accusations as vague and said tariff negotiations are standard. The insurer assured customers that services would not be impacted and highlighted its two-decade-long partnerships with over 14,000 hospitals.

The Insurance Ombudsman's 2023-24 report noted over 13,000 complaints against Star Health-more than all other top insurers combined.