Cover for OPD, daycare likely

You could soon get insurance cover for visits to the outpatient department (OPD) of hospitals or the dentist.

You could soon get insurance cover for visits to the outpatient department (OPD) of hospitals or the dentist.

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Health insurance majors, such as Max Bupa and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, are in the process of finalising such daycare insurance products by the year-end.

The cost of daycare services like arthroscopy — treatment for joint dislocation — and dialysis has risen significantly in the past five years.

The average cost of arthroscopy, for which patients are sometimes hospitalised, is about Rs 40,000 while it was close to Rs 25,000 four years ago.

At present, insurance cover is provided to only those who are hospitalised or suffering from critical illnesses.

"Certain treatments can be done in a few hours without hospitalisation, so insurance for daycare services has become a need," Rajeev Sharma, senior consultant (orthopaedic surgery), Apollo Hospitals, told HT.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, which had stressed the need for such products, is looking into the issue.

"We are reviewing the current market dynamics and are in the process of coming out with such products," said Neeraj Basur, chief financial officer, Max Bupa. The victim

succumbed to injuries and was admiited to the hospital. According to the prosecution, Robin was upset over Singh not allowing his girlfriend Swati (name changed) to call him up. The victim lived with Swati's mother and took care of her children.