Do not hike health insurance premium of senior citizens by more than 10%, regulator tells companies

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Do not hike health insurance premium of senior citizens by more than 10%, regulator tells companies

Flags lack of standardisation of hospital rates for health insurance products, unlike in PMJAY where it is centrally negotiated

 

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)  has issued a circular asking health insurance providers to not raise premium for senior citizens by more than 10% on a year on year basis. This comes in the wake of multiple reports about sharp increases in premiums of senior citizens. 

“The premium rate is primarily based on the estimated claims outgo and the expenses including acquisition costs incurred by the insurance company for acquiring and servicing the insurance policies. The claims outgo is largely dependent on the amounts charged by the hospitals for various treatments/ surgeries…In this context, the most vulnerable age group is the senior citizens having limited sources of income and this group is impacted the most when there is a steep increase in health insurance premium,” reads the IRDAI circular dated January 30. 

There have been several commentaries of late about the effect steep rises in insurance premium may have on India’s already low rates of insurance premium, particularly in the case of senior citizens who may have relatively more resource constraints but are also the most vulnerable to major illnesses. While the government of India has recently announced that all Indians aged over 70 years will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, there are an estimated 40 crore people in India (as per Niti Aayog) who do not have any insurance cover.

In the circular IRDAI also wrote that private health insurance products are run differently from government ones, making cost restriction a challenge. “Unlike in case of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) scheme where the hospitalisation expenses are negotiated centrally for package rates and are thus standardised across various hospitals, there is no such standardisation in case of health insurance products. This is leading to higher hospitalisation costs resulting in higher claims outgo under health insurance products offered by insurers.”

PMJAY offers a family health insurance of Rs 5 lakh per annum to those eligible; in case the family also has a member who is aged 70 years or more, that cover doubles with the senior member alone being eligible for Rs 5 lakh. Even in families that are not eligible, senior members above the age bracket are entitled to the same cover. 

Tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas began last year, is among the largest outbreaks in the US

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Tuberculosis outbreak in Kansas began last year, is among the largest outbreaks in the US

The Kansas Department of Health Environment (KDHE) has assured the public the relative risk to the public is low

A tuberculosis outbreak in the US state of Kansas is causing global alarm. The outbreak is said to be the largest in that country and has been continuing since last year. 

While the Kansas Department of Health Environment (KDHE) hasthe public the relative risk to the public is low, there are at present 67 active cases in the state. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are assisting the department in testing and contact tracing of affected people. Most of the cases have been reported from Wyandotte county. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that is spread through the air and can be highly contagious for people who have low levels of immunity. While it commonly manifests as a respiratory infection, it can also affect other parts of the body such as brain and bones.

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that is spread through the air and can be highly contagious for people who have low levels of immunity.

“Following standard practice in infectious disease investigations, local health departments are working with each patient to identify possible close contacts and conduct TB testing at no cost. Patients who test positive will be further screened to determine if they have active TB disease or latent TB infection, which will help determine the best treatment. Treatment will be provided through the patient’s local health department, and it will be provided for free if the person is uninsured or the treatment isn’t covered by health insurance. 

Treatment will be provided through the patient’s local health department and will be provided for free if the person is uninsured or the treatment isn’t covered by health insurance,” KDHE said in a statement on its website.

Since the outbreak started in January last year, there have been two casualties. However the CDC has refuted claims of the Kansas outbreak being the largest in US history, citing the outbreak in a homeless shelter in Atlanta where 170 active TB cases and 400 of latent TB were reported in 2008.

 

Floss your teeth every week to reduce risk of stroke, irregular heart beats, says new study

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Floss your teeth every week to reduce risk of stroke, irregular heart beats, says new study

The preliminary findings were presented at American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025

 

The mundane activity of flossing your teeth could be the secret to better cardiovascular health, preliminary findings from a new study suggest. The findings were presented at American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025.

Flossing was associated with a 22% lower risk of ischemic stroke (caused by blood flow to the brain being blocked), 44% lower risk of cardioembolic stroke (blood clots traveling from the heart) and 12% lower risk of atrial fibrillation – a condition in which the heart beat become irregular. 

“A recent global health report revealed that oral diseases — such as untreated tooth decay and gum disease — affected 3.5 billion people in 2022, making them the most widespread health conditions,” said study lead author Souvik Sen, chair of the Department of Neurology, Prisma Health Richland Hospital and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina. “We aimed to determine which oral hygiene behavior — dental flossing, brushing or regular dentist visits — has the greatest impact on stroke prevention,” he added.

The study which began in 1987 is ongoing. “Oral health behaviors are linked to inflammation and artery hardening. Flossing may reduce stroke risk by lowering oral infections and inflammation and encouraging other healthy habits. Many people have expressed that dental care is costly. Flossing is a healthy habit that is easy to adopt, affordable and accessible everywhere,” Sen said.

Participants were asked about their status regarding high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, body mass index, education, regular brushing and dentist visits. During the 25 years of follow-up, 434 participants were identified as having strokes, of which 147 were larger artery brain clots, 97 were heart-driven clots and 95 were hardening of the smaller arteries. A total of 1,291 participants were noted to have experienced atrial fibrillation.

 

Lab grown eggs and sperms could soon take IVF to the next level: UK body discusses law change

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Lab grown eggs and sperms could soon take IVF to the next level: UK body discusses law change

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which is the regulator of fertility related interventions took this up in its meeting earlier this month

What came first – chicken or egg? Thanks to emerging technologies, the answer could jolly well be egg. Provided, it was grown in a laboratory. 

In its meeting held earlier this month, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority of the United Kingdom discussed the possibility of lab grown gametes – both sperms and eggs – being used for fertility treatments and the changes in the relevant law that may be required to enable it.

In-vitro gametes IIVGs) are developed from other cells of the body such as those from the skin or from stem cells. “IVGs represent a fundamental innovation in reproductive biology for both research and fertility treatment. IVGs have the potential to vastly increase the availability of human gametes (sperm and eggs) for research and, if proved safe, effective and publicly acceptable, to provide new fertility treatment options for men with low sperm counts and women with low ovarian reserve. This could greatly increase the supply of sperm, eggs and embryos and could reduce or remove the need for gamete and embryo donation for research and fertility treatment,” reads the update from the meeting of the authority on January 22.

Countries like Netherlands and Norway already have provisions in their law allowing for the use of IVGs but the UK law which is the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (the HFE Act) defined gametes as “live human gametes”.Use of IVGs for fertility interventions would do away with the dependence on live sperm and egg donors and open up the possibility of even infertile individuals becoming parents of their “biological” children. It could reduce both costs and risks of the procedure. However there are ethical concerns too, one of which could be the demand for genetic screening from prospective parents which could result in the the destruction of a lot of viable gametes.

 

No effect in India of US exit from WHO, says health minister J P Nadda

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
No effect in India of US exit from WHO, says health minister J P Nadda

India is also a major contributor to the global body and when it comes to health India is not dependent on anyone, minister said during briefing on National Health Mission

 

Allaying fears that several health programmes  in India would suffer because of the decision of the newly instituted President Donald Trump administration in the United states to withdraw from the World Health Organisation, health minister J P Nadda has said that there will be no effect.

Nadda was speaking during a media briefing on the National Health Mission. He said: “Our projects and programmes will continue. As far as health is concerned, we are not dependent on anybody. There are many programmes in which WHO partners with us and there will be no disruption. India is one of the major contributors to WHO.”

Acting on intent he had first expressed at the fag end of his first term as the President of the United States of America, on the grounds that the WHO had failed the world in its handling of the global COVID19 pandemic, Trump has signed the executive order which ratifies the exit of the USA from the WHO. There has been consternation and concern globally with apprehensions that programmes, including in India may be affected.

In his interaction marking ten years of the NHM – India’s flagship health programme, Nadda listed out programmes such as the National Sickle cell Anemia Elimination Mission and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana as emblems of the unique thought and perspective that the NDA government has brought into the healthcare space and also implemented successfully to make the lives of Indians better.

In a post on X he wrote: “Briefed the media on the significant achievements made under the National Health Mission in the last 10 years.From the National Sickle Cell Anemia Mission to the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) and the National TB Elimination Programme, these initiatives have been pivotal in advancing the ‘Swasth Bharat’, with the mantra of #HealthForAll.This transformation has been possible due to the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji and the collaborative efforts of our healthcare workers.” 

One person dead in Gujarat: What is Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever?

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
One person dead in Gujarat: What is Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever?

The infection is tick borne but can also be transmitted from human to human if there is adequate physical proximity. A case has been reported after a gap of five years

A farmer in Gujarat’s Jamnagar has been reported dead after being detected with Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever – a tick borne infection which has a high fatality rate and no vaccine. This is the first case reported in the city since 2019.

CCHF, also commonly referred to as Congo fever is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa and Europe but neither humans nor animals can be vaccinated against it as none exists. Here’s all you need to know about CCHF.

What is CCHF?

CCHF is a viral infection (a Nairovirus) that is usually carried from one infected animal to another by ticks. World Health Organisation categorises it as a disease that in endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia. The case fatality rate can be anything between 10-40% depending on the health of the individual who has been infected. The commonest hosts for the CCHF virus are cattle, goat and sheep. It is therefore significant that the first casualty from Gujarat in five years because of CCHF was a cattle breeder.

WHO says: “Human-to-human transmission can occur resulting from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected persons. Hospital-acquired infections can also occur due to improper sterilization of medical equipment, reuse of needles and contamination of medical supplies.”

What are the symptoms of CCHF?

Once a person has been bitten by a tick carrying the CCHF virus, they will take between one and nine days to develop symptoms. This is called the incubation period of the virus. The common symptoms are fever, muscle pain, headache,stiffness and sore eyes. Raised heart rate,enlarged lymph nodes and rashes are common. Some patients who might develop complications can develop liver or lung failure.

What is the treatment of CCHF?


Treatment is largely symptomatic but there are also some antivirals that may be used. According to WHO: “Although an inactivated, mouse brain-derived vaccine against CCHF has been developed and used on a small scale in eastern Europe, there is currently no safe and effective vaccine widely available for human use.

In the absence of a vaccine, the only way to reduce infection in people is by raising awareness of the risk factors and educating people about the measures they can take to reduce exposure to the virus.”

 

Milestone in battle against cervical cancer: India to roll out HPV vaccine soon

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Milestone in battle against cervical cancer: India to roll out HPV vaccine soon

Conversation about the vaccine becoming a part of the Universal Immunisation Programme has been on since 2017

Marking a major milestone in the battle against cervical cancer, the government of India has announced that it is all set to roll out a national programme for vaccination of young girls against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the commonest cause of cervical cancer.

Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava told journalists during an interaction on the progress of the National Health Mission that the vaccine could soon become a part of the Universal Immunisation Programme. The vaccine is meant to be administered to girls in the 9-14 years age group. January incidentally is observed as cervical cancer awareness month.

India has a massive burden of cervical cancer with about 77,000 women losing their lives to the disease every year. It is the second most common cancer in Indian women. In the past concerns about vaccine price had been one of the deterrents in a national rollout of the vaccine but there is now an indigenous option manufactured by the Serum Institute of India that comes at half the cost of those manufactured by foreign companies.

As early as in 2017the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation had been in favour of a UIP inclusion but the proposal fell foul of right wing organisations who wrote to the prime minister opposing it. In the Union Budget last year, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that India would encourage HPV vaccinations of young girls. However the decision to roll it out had so far been left to the states with only some such as Delhi, Punjab and Sikkim going ahead with it.

Studies over the years have suggested that India has a realistic shot at eliminating cervical cancer in the next few decades if it were to start vaccinating young girls without any delay. One such article in The Lancet Oncology in 2019 had set that deadline at as early as 2079. While better hygiene standards in women have brought down the incidence of cervical cancer, the burden is still very high largely because screening efforts have been sporadic and women get detected with the disease at a fairly late stage.

Be sensitive, non-judgemental, NICE says in new childhood obesity guidance for doctors

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Be sensitive, non-judgemental, NICE says in new childhood obesity guidance for doctors

Warns physicians against attributing all symptoms to weight, emphasises the need to remember that he child may have had the issue raised many times before

Physicians treating children and young people should be mindful of flagging obesity or weight-related issues, be sensitive when they do so and refrain from attributing all symptoms to weight problems, a new guidance put out by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK has laid down in a new guidance.

All discussions should be carried out without judgement and doctors should be conscious of their own biases during the discussion. Doctors need to have context about the patient’s daily schedule, medication if any and family history of obesity so that they can contextualise the conversation without affecting the patient’s morale. If the patient or their family are not comfortable, the conversation thread about obesity should not be pursued.

“Ask permission to discuss overweight, obesity or central adiposity. If they do not wish to discuss it further on this occasion, respect the person’s choice (and that of their family or carer, if relevant) and either explore the reason sensitively or delay discussion until an appropriate time. Record the outcome of the discussion to ensure that subsequent healthcare professionals are aware that the matter has been raised, and know about the person’s views and any actions already taken to manage overweight or obesity,” reads the document that came out earlier this month.

Physicians have been advised to be conscious of the person’s beliefs, cultural and religious and refrain at all times from using stigmatising language. They need to use their clinical judgement to decide whether the matter of the child’s weight needs to be discussed as part of their duty of caring for their patients. 

The committee which came out with the new guidance also came out with a rationale that included among other things the need to ensure that the categorisation as overweight or obese does not have negative connotations for a young person. “The committee agreed that families and carers should take primary responsibility for behavioural changes in children and young people. But they recognised that it was appropriate for children to start to be empowered to manage their overweight or obesity around the age of 12, although this will vary depending on an individual child or young person’s level of maturity and understanding,” says the document.

 

TB, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health programmes to be hit by Trump funding decision

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
TB, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health programmes to be hit by Trump funding decision

US President Donald Trump has announced that programmes supported by the United States Agency for International Development will stay suspended

Newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump’s decision to “suspend” programmes that are supported by the  United States Agency for International Development will impact among other things, India’s battle against tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and also the programmes that are targeted towards ensuring maternal and child health.

Of these the impact on TB may be the most significant, coming as it does just months away from the accelerated deadline that India has set for itself for eliminating the disease. In 2018, prime minister Narendra Modi had committed that India would get rid of the bacterial courge by 2025, five years ahead of the global deadline of 2030.

USAID infuses an estimated $63 million into India every year for various targetted programmes in the health space. The decision to keep USAID support suspended comes on the heels of a decision by the Trump administration to withdraw from the World Health Organisation. While that would mean a significant reduction in the funds available to the global body, experts believe that the effect of that decision on India would be minimal.Sources in the Union ministry of health and family welfare say that while India has made significant strides in the fight against TB, a lot of ground still remains to be covered. “We have been consistently reducing the gap of missing cases and have significantly recovered lost ground during the COVID19 pandemic. In 2023, 24 lakh TB cases had been notified; for 2024 we expect the number to be about 26 lakh. We have also launched the 100 day campaign under which we are screening seven identified vulnerable groups even when they are asymptomatic. These include smokers, alcoholics, diabetics etc. We have adopted a whole of government approach,” explained a senior health ministry official. Experts working in the ground say that the technical support that USAID had given to the programme had been crucial and its absence will be “keenly felt”.

In a letter to its partners in India, USAID had written: “Effective today, the Agreement Officer hereby issues an order for the recipient to immediately suspend performance under the agreement your organization was awarded by USAID/India. The recipient shall take all reasonable steps to minimize the incurrence of costs allocable to the agreement during the period of award suspension.”

Investments in digital health, TB and GST waivers among wishlist for health in Union Budget

MediBulletin Bureau
-
0
Investments in digital health, TB and GST waivers among wishlist for health in Union Budget

From greater investments in technological solutions to incentives for businesses to invest in them the key is to use public private partnerships for health, say industry captains

 

With just three days to go for the Union Budget, health industry captains have lined up an ambitious wishlist for finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. From higher investments in digital health to greater commitment for existing public health programmes like TB, the expectations from the annual fiscal statement of government’s work and intent are diverse.

Dr. Harsh Mahajan Chair-FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging & Labs said: “To build a resilient and forward-thinking health system, we must prioritize technology integration, workforce development, and a strong focus on preventive care. The lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic have made it clear that digital health solutions are no longer optional—they are vital. Now is the time to invest in advanced diagnostic technologies and research. A critical area for reform is the high GST on medical equipment, which drives up costs and limits access to essential care. Reducing or exempting GST on medical devices will make cutting-edge technology more affordable for healthcare providers and ensure patients receive timely, quality care. Moreover, offering tax incentives or rebates for companies investing in innovation will accelerate the development of life-saving technologies, enabling faster integration into the healthcare system.”

For India’s public health landscape, 2025 is a particularly significant year as prime minister Narendra Modi had committed in 2018 that India would eliminate TB by this date, five years ahead of the global target of 2030. So all eyes will be on Budget commitments on that front. 

“The 2025-26 budget is a promising opportunity to shape a healthier and more equitable future for India. We look forward to enhanced support for transformative healthcare solutions that address primary care, non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, and mental health. We are optimistic that this budget will introduce measures to empower groundbreaking digital, medtech, and deep-tech innovations, improvements in access to telemedicine, diagnostics, and capacity building, making quality healthcare affordable and accessible for all. We believe that through this the government can accelerate progress toward universal health coverage and position India as a global leader in healthcare excellence,” said Krisha Mathur, director ACT for Health.

Among the other areas where there are gaps to be filled are healthcare accessibility and availability in Tier I and II cities and the penetration of health insurance, with NITI Aayog estimating that some 40 crore Indians have no fallback option when it comes to catastrophic health expenditure. Dr Dharmindra Nagar, MD Paras Hospital said: “Healthcare accessibility and infrastructure in the upcoming budget should be prioritized. Strengthening tertiary healthcare systems and increasing investment to achieve equitable healthcare distribution, particularly in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, remains critical. Establishing a dedicated Healthcare Capex Fund with flexible repayment terms and reducing customs duties on life-saving diagnostic equipment would significantly alleviate existing challenges.  We also see immense potential in digital health transformation and expect increased allocations for AI-driven diagnostics, telemedicine, and electronic health records, especially to bridge healthcare gaps in rural areas. Finally, tax incentives to encourage private health insurance adoption among the middle class will ensure broader healthcare access and financial protection for families.”

1234...234Page 3 of 234