The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has asked insurers to allow telemedicine consultation in the terms and conditions of the policy contract.
The Medical Council of India issued Telemedicine Practice Guidelines on March 25in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, which enabled registered medical practitioners to provide healthcare over the telephone.
“In the above background, insurers are advised to allow telemedicine wherever consultation with a medical practitioner is allowed in the terms and conditions of the policy contract,” IRDAI said in a circular.
The provision to allow telemedicine should be a part of the claim settlement policy of the insurer and need not be filed separately with the authority for any modification, the regulator said.
However, the norms of sub-limits, monthly and annual limits of the product would apply without any relaxation.
This would mean that those who already have health cover that covers consultation, and those who buy health insurance in future, can include telemedicine expenses in their claims.
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