Professor Bejon Kumar Misra, chairman of the Core Group of Experts for Insurance, Union Ministry of Ayush, on Monday stressed the need for a separate registry for Ayush hospitals even as he recommended promoting Ayush Healthcare Organisation (HCO) empanelment and adopting Ministry of Ayush-approved Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) and ICD-TM2 codes.
He was sharing his views at the sensitisation programme at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in the national capital, aiming to integrate Ayush treatments into mainstream health insurance schemes effectively.
The initiative was prompted by the recent directives from the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDAI) to include Ayush treatments under health insurance cover starting from April 1, 2024. The aim was to foster a deeper understanding and collaboration between Ayush hospitals, healthcare providers, and insurance sector stakeholders, ultimately ensuring affordable and accessible Ayush healthcare for all citizens.
However, intriguingly while the government and private insurers are being encouraged to integrate ayurveda in their plans, the Centre is yet to include Ayush interventions in its flagship Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Sources said that efforts by the Ministry of Ayush and the National Health Authority (NHA) are still on.
Deputy Director General (Ayush) Dr. A. Raghu emphasized the need for a flat rate design for Ayush treatments, considering longer stays and categorization based on disease and patient strength, as well as the establishment of three levels of medical management for each disease.
Rajiv Vasudevan, MD and CEO of Apollo AyurVAID Hospitals, highlighted the importance of Ayush treatments in addressing long-term and chronic diseases, advocating for a shift towards identifying and addressing the root cause of diseases.