‘Overcharging’ by hospitals under lens: Government’s plan portal shift; Objective for ‘strict supervision’, claim report | Bharat News

^{New Delhi: The government is currently preparing to bring the exchange of national health claims managed by the Ministry of Health by the Ministry of Health and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI), which is in the dialect to curb overcharging by hospitals and make health insurance more cheap, a source said. The move aims to tighten regulatory control over healthcare billing practices, which officials say the insurance is increasing the premium and pushing coverage out of reach for many people.The proposed changes follow an internal review by the government and Idardi, which revealed that hospitals increase the cost of regular treatment for patients, especially with high-value insurance covers. This has inspired the insurers to increase the premium to cover the loss, the source told the Reuters, stating that the “strict supervision” of the portal will increase the bargaining power of the insurance companies and ensure more consistent pricing among healthcare providers. Currently, national health claims that a digital platform connecting the insurers, hospitals is exchanged, and patients are maintained by the National Health Authority of the Ministry of Health. While IRDAI controls insurers that use platforms, it does not regulate the portal itself. The portal was initially built in consultation with IRDAI.According to AON’s global medical trend rates report, the cost of healthcare in India in 2025 is estimated to increase by 13% in 2025, higher than a global average of 10%. As mentioned earlier by The Times of India, the Health Insurance Premium in India crossed the 1 lakh-crores mark in the first 10 months of FY 2024-25, registering an increase of 10% from the previous year. Personal Health Insurance Premium, which now contains 38% of the total market, saw the highest growth of 13.5%. However, strength is a major concern. Some policy holders have seen more than 10% premium hike after recent rate amendments, calling for 18% GST exemption on health policies.}