‘Government needs to incentivise health insurance’
By IANSFriday, January 7, 2011
NEW DELHI - The government should incentivise health insurance, especially for low-income people, to ensure good health for all, a senior industry official said here Friday.
Everyone should have access to good medical care. It is not possible without insurance cover, Director of Star Health and Allied Insurance Company D.R. Kaarthikeyan told reporters.
He said the government should create level playing field for insurance companies and provide incentive to poor to get proper insurance cover.
Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Friday launched two new products - Star Unique Health Insurance Policy and Star Wedding Gift Insurance.
Star Unique Health Insurance is a health policy with dual benefit - its cover provides for hospitalisation benefits as well as cover for pre-existing diseases after a waiting period of 11 months. It is available for people between the afe group of 18-65 years. It can be renewed up to 70 years.
On the other hand, Star Wedding Gift Insurance offers basic health cover for couple on a floater basis. In addition, it provides for child delivery expenses - whether for normal delivery or for delivery by caesarean section. Minimum qualifying age is 18 years and cover is available up to 40 years, company officials said.
Over two dozen children are delivered in ambulances every day. This kind of insurance is very helpful for the people living in remote areas, Kaarthikeyan said.
