Volumes can result in reduction in health care costs

Fortune India in their October 2010 issue has covered a detailed write up on Medanta Hospital, Gurgaon and it has some interesting facts.



Medanta has ambitious plan to increase the number of beds ultimately to 1800 beds. This will lead to efficiency in use of equipment / resources and this is the reason why Medanta is charging 15% to 60% lower than what other hospitals are charging. These facts support the fact that Large hospitals can be competitive.

Medical bills contribute towards 62% of bankruptcies among families

Harvard University in USA has collected data for 2007 and has come out with the study that medical bills contribute towards 62% of bankruptcies among families.

We are assuming that this study was focussed on US families.Our estimates are that even in other countries the similar figures are applicable.Recently we have come across a family in Delhi which had to sell their 2 properties to pay for kidney transplant. They had no other alternative as they were not having any health insurance.In the legal terminology this family has not gone in for bankruptcy but selling of 2 properties and moving to a rented house is same thing.

Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha , Homeopathy have started getting recognition

Over period of time we have propagated due recognition to be given to Ayurvedic / Homeopathic /Unani/Siddha system of health care,which is used by crores of persons living in different parts of India.In our country we are having over 250 Ayurvedic Medical colleges.It is good to notice that HDFC Ergo Health Suvidha policy pays for medical expenses for inpatient treatment under Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha or Homeopathy. It pays upto 20% of Sum Insured; Maximum Rs. 20,000 (for Policy Sum Insured 2L & 3L) and Rs. 25,000 (for policy Sum Insured Rs. 4L).

This amount is less but we appriciate the beginning.We do hope other Insurance companies will also start coverage under Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha , Homeopathy system of treatment.Why not have a policy which is only for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha , Homeopathy.Why to charge someone (who beleives in treatment under these syatems) for 100 and give benefit of 6 ( Rs. 25000 against sum assured of Rs 4 lakh)

Pay higher premium to avail treatment in good /super speciality hospitals

Yes. Paying lower or normal premium and getting treated in good/super speciality hospitals will be a history in 2011.Either you will forget about good/super speciality hospitals
or
you will pay higher premium.

Time has come to relook at your policy - should it be renewed with same PSU or to a different Pvt insurance company or health insurance company

Heart Diseases are responsible for maximum number of deaths

Civic run Hospitals in Mumbai have compiled data for 2001- mid 2010 period and 97677 persons died during this period due to heart attack/ailments. This is 34% or total deaths across these hospitals over the period.

According to Dr Pavan Kumar Consultant Cardiologist of Lilavati Hospital the reasons for heart attack can be.

• Poor Oral Hygiene
• Malnourishment
• Lack of adequate vitamin B-12/ Folic Acid in the diet
• Social Stress due to work pressure


According to Dr Brian Pinto, another authority and affiliated to Holy Cross Hospital the reasons for heart attack can be

• Not loading much physically active life
• Eating unhealthy foods

Costs related to hospitalization due to heart ailments in good hospitals are high and may be in the range of Rest. 1.50 lakhs to Rs. 5.00 lakhs .This fact should be kept in mind while buying health insurance. Sum assured of Rs. 1.00 lakh may turn out to be too less when the bill comes out to be Rs. 3.50 lakhs or Rs. 5.00 lakhs.

Yes medical expenses can be high

According to news paper reports Punjab Chief Minister medical expenses for 2 months were Rs 85 Lakhs.

This proves that medical expenses can be high. It is better to plan by buying health insurance unless you are a Minister/Chief Minister like Punjab Chief Minister as mentioned in this news.

We knew it will not happen on Sep 17,2010

In the International Health Insurance Summit ( organised by CII)held on Sep. 9 & 10,2010 in one of the panel discussion attended by high ups of Health care providers /Insurance companies ( mainly PSU) it was agreed that agreement to resolve the PPN issue will be reached by Sep. 17,2010 .This is necessary so that inconvenience is not caused to policy holders ,who are suffering since July1,2010.

We knew this agreement will not be reached because gap in expectation by both parties is too much.Healthcare providers are ready to give a discount of 5 to 7% but this is not at all acceptable to PSU insurance companies.This issue has complication that if the Good/super specilaity hospitals agree to the need of PSU's they may have to give same terms to Private Insurance Companies.That will affect the financial projections of health care providers who have got funding from investors,banks,PE funds and VC funds.This may also bring down price of the share in the stock market and hence the wealth of the promoters.