Insurance cover for HIV patients

[Guest guest]

Insurance cover for HIV patients from Star Health

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: For the first time, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)-

infected patients in India are set to get insurance cover, thanks to

the pioneering initiative taken by the Chennai-based Star Health and

Allied Insurance Company Ltd.

The country's first standalone health insurance company, Star Health

has already moved the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority

(IRDA) seeking permission to launch a product to provide group

insurance cover for the HIV-hit.

V. Jagannathan, Chairman and Managing Director, said the country had

5.7 million HIV-infected people. Estimates suggested that at least

0.75 million of them could be carrying full-blown AIDS (acquired

immunodeficiency syndrome), he pointed out. The premium would be Rs.

3,000 per person per year.

" The compensation becomes payable if an HIV patient is confirmed to

be carrying AIDS, " he told The Hindu.

The total cover per person would be Rs. 50,000.

Mr. Jagannathan said Star Health would work in close co-operation

with non-government organisations (NGOs) and other social groups to

identify HIV cases and offer insurance cover. The social stigma

attached to HIV patients and the difficulty in drawing the

individuals out to take up a policy on their own had forced Star

Health to adopt the institutional route to offer this cover.

Star Health, he said, had also been holding talks with a Union

Territory to offer insurance cover for BPL (below poverty line)

families. The company, he said, had already signed up with the Andhra

Pradesh Government to provide cover against dreadful diseases to 20

lakh BPL families in three districts at an annual premium of Rs. 66

crore. Mr. Jagannathan said the company had settled claims to the

extent of Rs. 15 crore between April and June this year.

The company, he said, had also come out with a product called `Red

Carpet' for senior citizens. It offered hospitalisation benefits only

for people above 60 years and up to 69 years, at entry level and

assured renewals thereafter. The premium would be fixed (Rs. 5,000 to

Rs. 10,000) for a cover of Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh. There would be

no pre-acceptance screening, he said. The policy would cover even pre-

existing diseases with a look-back period of 12 months.

Star Health, he said, had also come out with a `Diabetes Safe'

insurance policy. It covered already known diabetics against risks

arising out of specified complications. The policy cover ranged from

Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 4 lakh, he added.

[Moderators note: The details of the Star health company is available at the

following url: http://www.starhealth.in/ ]

http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/07/stories/2007070751011600.htm

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

It is welcome move especially because a private agency has chalked out this

useful intervention in a situation where all the larger players have been

avoiding the pertinent issue on some pretext or the other.

The GSACS and the IEG, New Delhi had suggested a viable model in which the

people being covered in the 100 plus targeted interventions of the state(about

40 lakh people)were to be provided an insurance cover while

every efforts were to be made to ensure that these persons do not get the HIV

infection.

The financial viability and 'profitability'(or rather limited financial risk of

the insuring agency)of the same would have ensured participation of more

insurance companies.

May be we can still invite opinions of financial/insurance experts on the issue

to generate more models of insurance for the vulnerable or HIV

positive persons.

Best wishes,

Dr.Rajesh Gopal,

GSACS,Ahmedabad.

e-mail: <dr_rajeshg@...>