The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) has agreed to extend the insurance coverage to ayurvedic therapy. The ministry has also issued guidelines for claims pertaining to ayurvedic therapies.
These guidelines have been formed after consulting the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), 23 other insurance companies, ayurveda experts and scholars. For the first time, a large number of private insurance companies came forward to provide coverage for 20 ayurvedic treatment procedures.
The medical costs that an insured can claim for various therapeutic procedures along with the respective durations have been listed in the guidelines. It is to be noted that the coverage will be provided only for treatments carried out in ayurvedic hospitals registered with the government.
Hospitals, for example, must have at least 15 beds and 5 registered ayurvedic doctors along with the adequate paramedical staff as per the guidelines. Hospitals which have received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and teaching hospitals attached to ayurvedic colleges will also be a part of the scheme.