Mental health experts and organizations that work with children for their physical, mental and developmental needs assert that this will allow affordable mental healthcare for children
Mental health experts in the city have welcomed the inclusion of children mental health in the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) of India issued notification for all medical insurance companies to cover mental health illness. Mental health experts and organizations that work with children for their physical, mental and developmental needs assert that this will allow affordable mental healthcare for children. It is for the first time ever that the people including children with mental health illness will be soon covered by insurance companies.
The notification issued by D V S Ramesh, General Manager, Health (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) on Thursday to all insurers in a circular stated that reference is drawn to the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 which has come into force with effect from May 29, 2018. As per Section 21 (4) of the said Act, every insurer shall make provisions for medical insurance for treatment of mental illness on the same basis as is available for treatment of physical illness.
Dr Samir Dalwai, Developmental Pediatrician, said, "The Indian Academy of Pediatrics has been advocating efficient, scientific outcome oriented services for children with developmental disabilities and mental illness. Currently these are delivered by unregulated operators often practising unscientific interventions without much accountability. Now, with regulatory and third party agencies monitoring the services, we expect services delivery to these children to show a significant improvement. "
Dr. Shubha Thatte, Trustee and founder of the Institute for Psychological Health, Thane, said, "This will definitely bring great relief to all those parents having children with mental illness. Per month one has to spend atleast Rs 2500 for medicines. Sometimes absence of medicines make the person with mental illness more aggressive. People from rural areas where the rehabilitation institutes are not present remain untreated."
The intervention has also got a thumbs up from the corporate sector.
Jyoti Yadav, Corporate Operations and Business Development, New Horizons Group, said, "Till recently, insurance companies were offering cover to children with autism but only for medical ailments. This will lead to evolution of robust industry-standard norms and guidelines in the practices related to mental health care. Haphazard, unscientific arbitrary interventions which are the norm of the day will give way to scientific, well documented and outcome oriented professional services."
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