Ayurvedic Treatments to Come Under Medical Insurance Coverage, Implementation from April 1st

Kolhapur: Ayurvedic treatment has also now been included in the medical insurance. For the past few years, many organizations across the country, including Maharashtra, have been pushing for the demand. Accordingly, the decision has been taken and will come into effect from April 1, 2024.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, he set up the Ministry of AYUSH to support Ayurveda. Shripad Naik of Goa was given the charge of this post for the first time. In the last few years, after highlighting the need for medical insurance, people have been issuing these policies in large numbers; But in all these policies, not all the money could be used for Ayurveda treatment. If the medical insurance for the year was Rs 5 lakh, 20 percent of it could be used for Ayurveda treatment. This facility was maintained by a select few insurance companies

In the last few years, the importance of Ayurveda has increased and such Ayurvedic treatment centers are gaining popularity among the upper and upper middle class. As a result, organizations like Marm, Ayurvedic Manch, and NIMA in Maharashtra have been consistently demanding 100 percent inclusion of Ayurvedic treatment in medical insurance. "The Ministry of AYUSH has decided in this regard and has given clear written instructions to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India in this regard.

Accordingly, the authority has made this mandatory for all insurance companies. Accordingly, Ayurvedic treatment centers should be included in the list of hospitals under the medical insurance scheme, necessary criteria should be prepared for this, and treatment certification should be done.

"For the past few years, we have been demanding that Ayurveda treatment be included in the medical insurance scheme. Many people were going back due to lack of treatment as our hospitals did not fit into the medical insurance scheme. Accordingly, the Ministry of AYUSH has taken this decision and we welcome it." -Dr. Ajit Rajigare, President, Mahaayurveda Research and Medical Association