Falling health insurance claims may point to better malaria control

MUMBAI:

Health insurance

claims due to

malaria

are showing a consistent decline which points to an improved control over the deadliest of

vector borne diseases

. Despite the disease continuing to make headlines insures are reporting a drop in the number of

malaria related claims

.

An analysis of health insurance claims data by private insurer

Future Generali Insurance

from 2011, barring 2012, malaria claims have shown reduction in number, year-on-year. The number of claims has reduced to 1/3rd in 2016 as compared to those in 2012. The study was conducted ahead of World Malaria Day which falls on April 25th.

According to Shreeraj Deshpande, head – health insurance at Future Generali the data it cannot be inferred that incidence of Malaria has come down. He admitted that it was possible that claims could be high in area where insurance penetration is lower. “Since our claims relate only to hospitalization, it is very likely that due to campaigns, the illness is detected early which makes it possible to treat at home,” said Deshpande.

He added that in urban areas due to defogging efforts carried by Municipal authorities and the campaign against stagnant water it was possible that cases of Malaria have dropped.

Another interesting finding of the study was that 70.53% of all malaria-related claims filed in the last six years have been for patients between the age group of 0 – 35 years. “This is an indicator that people are contracting the illness during commute or travel. While campaigns are ensuring control over mosquitoes in residential areas, it is possible that they continue to breed in public spaces,” said Deshpande.

As a result of the incidence being among the working category, 52.10% of the claims have been filed for ‘self’, which is more than double of claims filed for spouse or child (about 20% each). Claims filed for parents have been 7%

Since, 2011 it was only the year 2012 which saw claims rising 35.5% in number.

Amongst the cities, Mumbai witnessed maximum number of malaria-related claims filed in the last six years. Mumbai witnessed a drop of 65% in the number of malaria-related cases filed for Malaria in 2016, as compared to 2011.

Chennai showed maximum drop in number of claims in 2016 as compared to 2011 i.e. 66.67%. Of the total number of claims filed for Malaria, 68.92% were filed from Non-metro cities as compared to 31.08% from Metros with Mumbai contributing the largest pie.