Govt mulls linking local hospitals to foreign insurers

The government is planning to form a working group to explore the possibilities of linking Indian hospitals, wellness centres and Ayurveda clinics with foreign insurers to boost medical tourism in India, Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel has said.

He said the aim is to ensure that foreign nationals seeking medical treatment in India can arrive in the country with their own insurance, which would be recognised by all health centres here, according to a report by Press Trust of India (PTI).

"This will be especially helpful for those arriving from Iraq or Southeast Asian countries," the minister told PTI in an interview.

Officials also said the ministry has recommended that foreign tourists visiting India be offered attractively priced COVID-19 insurance covers as part of the ministry's plans to revive the sector post the coronavirus crisis.

"The working group will provide us a model on which our system can be based. We are also in discussions with domestic insurance companies and departments concerned here," Mr Patel said.

Officials said the ministry is studying insurance policies introduced by Singapore and other countries.

Source: Asia Insurance Review

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