Covernote. Healthy mind in a healthy body

‘Mens sana in corpore sano,’ the well-known Latin phrase means, “a healthy mind in a healthy body.”

The full quotation goes “Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano,” or, “we should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body.”

The health of one affects the other both for good and for bad. Lack of awareness and the social stigma attached to mental illnesses have prevented open dialogue and understanding of the issues.

We haven’t acknowledged that mental illness, ranging from depression to dementia, is normal and treatable. Lakhs of Indians have avoided seeking help they direly needed, which could have helped them lead normal, productive lives and benefitted their families. We have barely begun the long journey towards correcting this and insurance for mental illnesses is a baby step.

Covering mental health

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the regulator of the industry, made it compulsory that all hospitalisation policies from November 1, 2022, should cover mental health. Earlier this was an exclusion from existing policies and a reason for new policy proposals to be turned down by the underwriter.

The direction to cover mental illness flows from the Mental Health Care Act, 2017, which mandates that, “Every person with mental illness shall be treated as equal to persons with physical illness in the provisions of all health care.”

In Section 21 (4) the Act states, “Every insurer needs to make provisions for mental illness on the same basis as is available for treatment of physical illness.”

Coming to policies, the extent and cost of coverage differs from insurer to insurer. Pre- and post-hospitalisation costs are covered. Cashless facility is available and some policies even offer home based treatment for severe disorders. Out patient treatment costs are covered by very few insurers, but then that is the case with physical illness related hospitalisation too.

Similarly, there is a waiting period as well, as in the case of pre-existing diseases.

What about day-care treatments, long-term treatment after hospitalisation which is typical of mental illness and many other aspects. The field is new and slowly many such benefits will become available as the demand and risks become clearer. Does this mean that any new policy will automatically cover mental illness? No. Insurers have the discretion to reject proposals or offer cover with terms and conditions like waiting period.

Another impact will be on premium rates for everybody.

Mental illness is present significantly in our country and has gone unrecognised and untreated. COVID-19 has increased its prevalence and severity. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) statistics say that about 13.7% of Indian adults suffer from mental illness and that 10.6% of them require immediate treatment and intervention. There is a long way to go and we need to get there faster.

(The writer is a business journalist specialising in insurance & corporate history)

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