Coronavirus pandemic | Insurance claims a measly 200 for over 10,000 cases: Report

A large number of more than 10,000 people infected with coronavirus in India have not applied for insurance, as a majority of them are being treated at government hospitals, where testing is free and healthcare significantly cheaper, The Economic Times has reported.

As state governments are actively testing, tracking and treating patients, those infected are directed to government hospitals. “There is a small number of people opting for private healthcare,” a National Health Authority (NHA) source told the newspaper.

Private facilities are handling only 10 percent of the coronavirus cases, the NHA source said. Subsequently, insurance players also have a smaller role to play.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

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Patients are tested multiple times till they report negative for the coronavirus and are then discharged. The tests, which cost up to Rs 4,500 at non-government centres, account for a substantial portion of the bill for those being treated in private hospitals, the report said.

The hospital stay can cost anywhere between Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

Patients being treated at private facilities and covered by insurance are even fewer – just 2 percent, as General Insurance Council (GIC) reported 200 COVID-19 claims against 10,586 cases to the finance ministry on April 13, it said.

Coronavirus state-wise tally April 16

Private hospitals have asked for a uniform treatment protocol to be set by AIIMS or state governments. Insurance companies have also requested insurance regulator IRDAI for the same so that rack rates could be agreed upon.

AIIMS has set up a task force to formulate a uniform protocol.

Globally, there have been more than 20.6 lakh confirmed cases of COVID-19. At least 1.34 lakh people have died.

In India, confirmed cases stand at 12,380 and the death toll is 414.