With the increasing awareness of mental health in India, people must know about the accessibility of treatment plans available to them. When talking about the prevalence of mental health burden in India, studies suggest that almost 1 in 7 Indians suffer from mental health issues. Apart from this, the limited number of mental health professionals makes the problem worse. Thus, we do require flexibility in the treatment of mental health disorders. And that’s where mental health insurance comes as a game-changer!
What is Mental Health Insurance?
When we talk about insurance, it simply means safety from big financial losses. Usually, for health or any other emergency in your family, you pay a minimum amount to a company regularly (also called a premium). If something bad happens, the insurance company helps you cover the cost. In this way, you do not need to pay a large amount at once. So when we talk about mental health insurance, it covers the costs of your mental health care.
This could include hospital costs, therapy, consultations, medications, and other treatments. It aims to make mental health care accessible to people without causing stress or major financial loss. So the question is how… how does it work, and when it was implemented in India?
The Government’s Mental Health Care Act, 2017, clearly mandates insurance companies to provide mental health treatment coverage just like they do for physical illness. So how does this process work? The insurance companies must include mental health conditions under their health insurance policies. This will include hospitalization and other medical costs. Regulators like the Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) will oversee whether insurers are complying with this mandate.
Impact of Mental Health Insurance On Treatment Accessibility
When we talk about the impact of mental health insurance, it’s likely to benefit many people suffering from mental health problems who can’t deal with heavy financial burdens. Here’s how it will impact people:
Decrease Financial Burdens:- Even today in India, many people think mental health treatment is a luxury, and many common people cannot afford it. But if you have insurance, you can save yourself from therapy expenses, psychiatric consultations, and out-of-budget hospital costs. Mental health insurance, just like any other insurance, will first reduce financial barriers a person might be worried about.
Improves Treatment Accessibility:- Research has shown that an insured individual will continue to use mental health services than an uninsured person. This means coverage will not only reduce costs but also improve people’s willingness to accept and treat their mental illnesses openly. And so there will be regularity in treatment and follow-up visits, which is crucial for improving one’s overall mental health condition.
Reduce Disparities In Terms of Status & Location:- The existing stigma, socioeconomic status, and geographic location, which cause major disparities between middle-class and higher-class societies, are major problems. A mental health insurance will likely fill this gap, expanding access to less privileged societies and reaching different geographic locations.
Mental Health Insurance Challenges
Although mental health awareness is a positive step by the Government and will help to provide easier treatment, there still exist some challenges that we need to discuss:
- Several coverage plans restrict services like outpatient therapy and counselling sessions. It may only specify a limited number of therapy/hospital visits per year. Other limitations involve the exclusion of mental health disorders from the lists.
- At some locations, insurance networks may not be able to provide mental health insurance.
- There might be administrative barriers to practically claiming mental health insurance, or more documentation might be required.
- And last and the most concerning challenge, people’s lack of awareness of this policy even existing!
Conclusion
The goal of writing this blog is to educate people about their mental health insurance rights and to be aware in advance whether their insurance providers are giving them coverage options and treatment facilities. This includes serious mental health disorders, therapy, and consultation treatments, which may become way costlier without insurance.
Since mental health is equally important as one’s physical health, policymakers and coverage providers should implement clearer and better policies for accessible mental health treatment. Addressing these challenges will surely encourage people to take their mental health seriously and get timely consultations when required.
