Key Points
New Delhi: A brand-new regulator for health insurance may be among the first proposals to be signed off by the next government, with the Union finance ministry seeking early consultations, two people aware of the matter said..
The ministry has tapped the health ministry to begin consultations with insurance companies, healthcare service providers, the National Health Authority and others to formalize the plan, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity..
Earlier, the finance ministry had written to health ministry on the contours of the new regulator, aimed to bring about uniformity in health services and facilitate affordable health insurance coverage for all citizens..
The entire chain in the insurance sector including insurance companies, third party administrators and reinsurers is regulated, barring the healthcare service providers..
It is high time a sectoral watchdog is established for healthcare services that could help in addressing issues such as healthcare inflation and bring about positive directions to provide affordable, effective, and efficient products to consumers," said C.R. Vijayan, former secretary-general of the General Insurance Council..
