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Ever increasing healthcare expenses at hospitals practising modern medicine force people to seek traditional alternative medicines, which are comparatively less expensive an without any side effect . Now the government and private insurance companies have  decided to provide insurance cover to patients undergoing alternative treatments .

In the treatment circle, integrative medicine seems to be the most happening thing. This is playing a major role in most health and treatment centers across the country. It brings together Ayurveda and Yoga along with Homeopathy, Unani and Siddha thus offering holistic medical solutions. Today, insurance cover for alternative medicine is available at 68 accredited hospitals, provided they are combined with modern medicine and are under strict supervision. Thus integrated treatment offers complete wellness solution with the combination of different systems of medicines after clinical studies  creating proof of concept.

In 2014, the Ministry of Ayush came up with a concrete plan to encourage alternative medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy. Insurance companies were urged to cover the cost of treatment if the patient wanted to try the alternative treatment route.

The Ministry of Ayush came up with proper guidelines for insurers to start offering insurance coverage for alternative treatment as early as 2014. This was followed by constant presentation and lobbying by Ayurvedic drug manufacturers and industry bodies like CII and FICCI and representations to the Insurance Regulatory Authority of India (IRDAI).

As a result 15 insurance companies were listed with the Ministry of Ayush that cover Ayurveda treatments. A list of 97 treatments was identified with the participation of public and private health insurers. Definitive protocols and lines of treatment were mapped out for these treatments and thus accepted .

Although there is no standalone cover for Ayurveda, the cover is part of a standard insurance policy. New India Assurance offers coverage up to 25 per cent of the sum assured while private insurers such as Chola offers 7.5 per cent of the sum insured with 20 per cent co-payment. Tata AIG offers around Rs 20,000 if the sum insured is Rs5 lakhs, while HDFC Ergo Health Suraksha pays only for in-patient treatment, Star Health offers up to a maximum of 25 per cent of the sum insured and Apollo Munich covers all costs with a cap of Rs 50,000. The treatment is cashless. Policy holders, however, have to read the fine print. Even though coverage is limited, Ayurveda practitioners are happy that a beginning has been made.

It is understood that traditional medicine goes back 3,000 years and it has very little in terms of scientific studies and clinical proof as demanded by modern medicine. The approach of an Ayurvedic doctor is different from that of an allopathic practitioner. The latter treats symptoms, while the former looks at the root cause and the medicines prescribed are different for each patient. Since traditional medicines are herb-based and personalised with dose iteration done to suit each person, it is not possible to have large studies, therefore the system has been regarded as unscientific by modern medicine practitioners.

Just last month, the Kochi-based Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) inaugurated its centre for integrated medicine.

Traditional medicine is now moving towards providing scientific evidence as well, through clinical trials and double blind studies.

Chinese, Tibetan, Unani, Brazilian, Korean, Japanese, African and European forms of traditional medicine have existed for years. Homoeopathy and Ayurveda are fairly established and accepted traditional therapies. Besides light, flower and colour therapies are also being used. The US, however, has many business-driven courses that are also being offered. As we move away from the limited answers that western medicine provides, people are choosing alternative medicine to address their health needs. The World Health Organization is trying to work with countries to work out a framework for practicing alternative medicine, which includes, among other things, defining a curriculum, standardising manufacturing of drugs, and establishing clinical protocols.

• Ayurveda & Health Tourism

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