Extend Insurance for Mental Illness: SC to Govt, IRDA

Extend Insurance for Mental Illness: SC to Govt, IRDA

The mental health expenditure by the Union Government is less than 0.5% of its total health budget.

On Tuesday, 17 June, the Supreme Court issued notices to the government and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) on a plea seeking directions to insurance companies to provide medical cover for mental illness treatment.

The Mental Health Act 2017 aims to proved non-discriminatory mental healthcare to people with mental illnesses.

Section 21(4) of the Act states that all insurers must make provisions for medical insurance for the treatment of mental illnesses, the same way it is for the treatment of physical illnesses, reported LiveLaw.

Mental health awareness has risen sharply in the past few days post the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

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The petitioner, advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal said that despite the existence of the statutory provision and a letter by IRDA, there has been no follow up by IRDA on the same. He also argued that the IRDA has not taken any action against companies who are not complying.

The plea also stated that the Parliament of India had mandated that mental illness should be treated like other illnesses for the purpose of insurance coverage.

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(With inputs from LiveLaw.)