The Supreme Court has asked the Central government and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to respond to a petition challenging a 2020 rule. This rule allows health insurance companies to exclude epilepsy treatment from medical insurance coverage. The case is Sanvedana Foundation v. Union of India.
A Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma issued a notice to the government and IRDAI. The court will hear the case further after the respondents submit their replies.
The petition was filed by Sanvedana Foundation, a public charitable trust started in 2004. The foundation supports epilepsy patients across India by providing medicines, funding for surgery, and counselling.
The petitioner argued that excluding epilepsy from health insurance is unfair and medically incorrect. They said it violates the rights of people with epilepsy under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
The petition states, “The exclusion forces people with epilepsy to face big hurdles in getting healthcare. The decision to list epilepsy as a ‘permanent exclusion’ under general health insurance is unscientific and unconstitutional.”
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