%0 Journal Article
%T Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Mental Health Insurance in India: Insights from the MHCA, 2017
%A Soo-jin Park
%A Min-seok Choi
%A Hyejin Kang
%J Asian Journal of Ethics in Health and Medicine
%@ 3108-5059
%D 2021
%V 1
%N 1
%R 10.51847/hM7gSfulCA
%P 103-109
%X Health insurance can act as a safeguard against catastrophic medical expenses. Under Section 21(4) of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (MHCA), insurance providers are required to offer coverage for mental illnesses on the same terms as for physical illnesses. However, in practice, anecdotal reports indicate that individuals with mental health conditions frequently encounter denial or significant challenges when attempting to secure health insurance.For the year 2020–21, we systematically reviewed insurance policies listed on the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) website to assess their treatment of mental health conditions and to evaluate whether the policy provisions comply with Section 21(4) of the MHCA, as well as with key bioethical principles.A total of 459 health insurance policies for 2020–21 were collected from the IRDAI website. From these, 268 policies deemed relevant were examined in detail to assess compliance with the MHCA and core bioethical principles. Among the reviewed policies, six (from two insurers) explicitly excluded coverage for mental illnesses in all areas, directly violating the MHCA and IRDAI guidelines. A majority of policies excluded treatment for injuries resulting from attempted suicide or self-harm (n = 224) and those related to alcohol or substance use (n = 267). Coverage for outpatient services was offered in only 23 policies.Health insurance policies still include provisions that discriminate against individuals with mental illnesses, contravening the parity principle established by the MHCA and conflicting with fundamental bioethical standards. Ongoing advocacy is essential to ensure that insurers fully adhere to the principle of parity—both in letter and in practice—by eliminating any differential or discriminatory clauses related to mental health, in accordance with Section 21(4) of the MHCA.
%U https://smerpub.com/article/ethical-and-legal-dimensions-of-mental-health-insurance-in-india-insights-from-the-mhca-2017-hnozvwavohsdfyy