On November 14, Indian officials urged insurers and hospitals to roll out measures that will make medical care cheaper and easier for everyone. The Centre directed insurers to speed up onboarding on the National Health Claims Exchange, adopt standard treatment plans, use common empanelment rules, and streamline cash‑less claim processing. These steps aim to curb the surge in medical costs and keep healthcare affordable.
The discussion was led by M. Nagaraju, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services, who chaired a meeting focused on medical inflation and rising premium prices. Delegates from the General Insurance Council, the Association of Healthcare Providers in India (AHPI), and major hospital groups – including Max Healthcare, Fortis, and Apollo – met with insurers from New India Assurance, Star Health, and Bajaj Allianz, among others.
Key takeaways from the meeting:
- Standardised hospital empanelment. A single set of rules across all insurers will guarantee that policyholders can claim cash‑less treatment anywhere, improving consistency and cutting paperwork for hospitals.
- Better claim turnaround. Insurers need to process claims faster during hospital stays, ensuring patients receive prompt reimbursement and approvals.
- Collaboration to control costs. By working closely with hospitals, insurers can spot pricing issues, enforce standard treatment protocols, and bring transparency to the industry.
- Focus on service quality. Policyholders should expect high‑standard care and quick settlement of claims, reinforcing trust in health insurance.
Attendees included Inderjeet Singh (General Insurance Council), Dr. Suneeta Reddy and Shivakumar Pattabhiraman (Apollo Hospitals), Abhay Soi (Max Healthcare), Dr. Girdhar Gyani (AHPI), and other senior executives from Niva Bupa, Star Health, and Oriental Insurance.
The Centre’s call for tighter regulations and better coordination aims to simplify the health‑insurance experience, reduce medical inflation, and bring reliable, cashless care to patients across India.
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