Clash on cashless insurance hurts citizens

Uncertainty has gripped senior citizens — the worst hit by a curb on cashless claims for mediclaims. HT reports.

Uncertainty has gripped senior citizens — the worst hit by a curb on cashless claims for mediclaims.

HT Image

The Confederation of Senior Citizens Associations of Delhi has written to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) to look into the issue. In a letter to IRDA Chairman Hari Narayan, J.R. Gupta, chairperson of the confederation, has said that a number of complaints have been received on how senior citizens have been denied treatment in private hospitals and "are forced to make the payment on spot although they have in their possession the cashless policies."

The confederation, which represents over nine lakh senior citizens all over Delhi, has already brought the issue to the notice of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Curbing cashless claims is a violation of terms of contract, Mathew Cherian, CEO, HelpAge India, a non-profit organisation working for better healthcare for the elderly, told HT. "The contract to provide cashless benifits has been given to subscribers at the time of purchase and it cannot be scrapped suddenly," Cherian said.

State-run insurers had said the facility of cashless benifits would be extended to those hospitals that agree to their rates for medical expenses.

Claims to premium ratio is 180 per cent in group health , resulting in huge losses for the insurers, reports said.