3+ week, 4+ day ago (216+ words) Mumbai: In a major step toward strengthening public healthcare access, the Maharashtra Cabinet on Tuesday approved a significant expansion of the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat'Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The number of diseases and medical procedures covered under the two state health insurance schemes will rise from 1,356 to 2,399. The expansion follows a detailed review by a government-appointed technical committee that assessed treatment packages under both the state and central schemes. The committee's recommendations were aligned with the National Health Authority's (NHA) standards before being cleared by the regulatory council and finally approved by the state Cabinet. High-cost Procedures Now Available For Free Hospitals will now receive performance-based incentives over and above the standard rate, encouraging quality and efficiency in patient care. Additionally, the regulatory council has been authorised to take policy decisions…...

22+ hour, 34+ min ago (396+ words) Juhu Resident's Claim Rejected Despite Worldwide Coverage Plan\ The case was filed by a Juhu resident, Alok Rajendra Bector, who had purchased the "Heartbeat " Family First Platinum Policy" with worldwide coverage. The policyholder was undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer at a medical facility in the United States. Despite informing the insurer before travelling abroad and generally fulfilling policy conditions, the claim for the critical overseas treatment was unilaterally repudiated by the company. Insurer's Earlier Illegal Cancellation at the Centre of Dispute The core of the dispute centred on the insurer's attempt to leverage its own previous illegal actions. The Commission noted that Niva Bupa had initially cancelled an earlier policy on the grounds of an alleged non-disclosure of asthma. Crucially, both the Commission and an earlier Ombudsman award in 2020 had established that asthma was an illness completely unrelated to the…...

1+ hour, 36+ min ago (165+ words) Mumbai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mumbai Suburban, has delivered a strong judgment against Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Ltd, ordering the insurer to reimburse a policyholder Rs66.50 lakh for expenses incurred during overseas cancer treatment. The commission found the company guilty of deficiency in service and engaging in unfair trade practice. Juhu Man's Overseas Cancer Claim Denied by Insurer The court observed that Niva Bupa's wrongful cancellation of the policy had the practical effect of preventing the policyholder from availing the cashless facility, a procedural requirement for such overseas claims. After failing to get justice, the policyholder filed a complaint before the commission, challenging the repeated rejection of his claim. Commission Orders Niva Bupa to Pay "66.5 Lakh Commenting on the ruling, Advocate Rohit Lalwani and Sajal Khan, representing the complainant, said that an insurer cannot use technicalities resulting from…...

4+ day, 21+ hour ago (239+ words) A US-based NRI couple has gone viral on social media after revealing that they moved back to India permanently because of the rising healthcare expenses they faced in America. After living in the United States for 17 years, the couple said their financial stress escalated sharply, especially after they had twins, prompting them to reconsider their stay. The woman said, "After 17 years in the US, we moved to India. Reasons might shock those unfamiliar with American healthcare. As a new mom of twins, I had only 6 weeks of maternity leave'then back to work while healing and exhausted." The parents shared that returning to India transformed their day-to-day lives. They now have quicker access to doctors without long wait times or insurance approvals, significantly reduced medical expenses, and a much stronger support system through family and community, something they deeply missed while…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (510+ words) NSE's managing director and chief executive, Ashishkumar Chauhan, said the rules governing foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have become too tough over the years. LIC Managing Director Ratnakar Patnaik also welcomed the government's decision to eliminate the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on all individual life and health insurance premiums, effective September 22, 2025. LIC Managing Director Ratnakar Patnaik Pitches For Exempting Life Insurance Sector From GST, Helping Insurers Claim Input Tax Credit NSE's managing director and chief executive, Ashishkumar Chauhan, said the rules governing foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have become too tough over the years. LIC Managing Director Ratnakar Patnaik also welcomed the government's decision to eliminate the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on all individual life and health insurance premiums, effective September 22, 2025. Mumbai: LIC Managing Director Ratnakar Patnaik on Monday pitched for exempting life insurance sector from Goods and Services Tax…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (296+ words) Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju chaired a meeting of representatives of leading insurers, hospitals, the General Insurance Council and the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) to discuss the issue of medical inflation and rising premium costs.The secretary advised insurers and hospitals to take measures such as devising standardised treatment protocols and common empanelment norms. 'Make Healthcare Affordable & Accessible For Policyholders': Finance Ministry Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju chaired a meeting of representatives of leading insurers, hospitals, the General Insurance Council and the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) to discuss the issue of medical inflation and rising premium costs.The secretary advised insurers and hospitals to take measures such as devising standardised treatment protocols and common empanelment norms. New Delhi: The finance ministry on Thursday asked hospitals and insurance companies to make healthcare affordable and accessible for policyholders in view…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago (595+ words) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal urged leading healthcare institutions to expand training programmes for nurses and caregivers to meet both domestic and international demand. Visa On Arrival Facilities For Medical Treatment Can Be Considered For US Patients: Piyush Goyal Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal urged leading healthcare institutions to expand training programmes for nurses and caregivers to meet both domestic and international demand. New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said offering visa on arrival facilities for medical treatment can be considered to patients from countries such as the US.The idea was floated in the CIIs annual health summit here. He suggested the CII to work on the idea and share with the government."Off course one has to look at what will be the certifications and which are the countries for which we…...

1+ week, 1+ min ago (856+ words) With November 30 approaching, pensioners, central government employees, and taxpayers face key deadlines'from UPS opt-in and Digital Life Certificate submission to TDS filings and transfer pricing-related ITR deadlines. Timely compliance is essential to avoid disruptions in pension disbursal, financial penalties, and reporting delays. November 30 Deadline Nears For Key Financial & Pension Tasks, Delay Could Trigger Compliance Hassles With November 30 approaching, pensioners, central government employees, and taxpayers face key deadlines'from UPS opt-in and Digital Life Certificate submission to TDS filings and transfer pricing-related ITR deadlines. Timely compliance is essential to avoid disruptions in pension disbursal, financial penalties, and reporting delays. New Delhi: November's almost over, and the clock's ticking for a bunch of important deadlines if you're a central government employee, pensioner, or taxpayer. One big one: the Finance Ministry has pushed the deadline to opt into the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) all…...

1+ day, 16+ hour ago (881+ words) Hospitalisation costs in India have surged by 11.35% in just one year, putting immense pressure on families even with existing health insurance. A basic health policy may cover common medical expenses, but what happens when a single hospital stay exceeds your coverage limit?" That's where a Top-Up Health Insurance Plan steps in. It provides extra protection without the high premiums of opting for another health insurance plan with a higher sum insured. It is a smart, cost-effective way to boost your financial security against rising medical inflation." Read below to understand when buying a top-up for health insurance is necessary." What is Top-Up for Health Insurance?" Top-up health insurance provides additional coverage that comes into play when your existing policy limit gets exhausted. Think of it like a mobile top-up: when the data or talk time of a phone runs out,…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago (359+ words) New Delhi: Systemic leakages due to fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) of approximately Rs 10,000 crore each year are silently eroding trust and financial resilience within the insurance ecosystem, according to a report. To safeguard integrity, there is a need for collective action from all stakeholders, including insurers, corporates, government, and regulators, the report, titled, Rebuilding Trust: Combating Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in India's Health Insurance Ecosystem, said. Fraudulent behaviours, process inefficiencies, and policy violations have become embedded across the value chain, and these practices are now systemic and increasing, it added. To address this, the report outlined a three-pillar framework of prevention, detection, and deterrence, underpinned by the enablers of standardisation, technology, and data interoperability. The report highlighted how advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) can transform claims processing from a post-facto policing model into a proactive,…...