The Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan launched a term-based medical insurance scheme in July last year. The plan covers you for a fixed period, and you have to renew it to keep the protection. But, so far, only 19 people bought the scheme.
Every day, hundreds of people visit the insurance office for various schemes. But very few look for medical insurance. It reflects the public’s reluctance since healthcare remains largely state-funded. However, there is more to it.
“Insurance is important, but what really matters is how easy the procedure is. When we pay, it is easy. But when it’s time to claim, suddenly a document is missing, or some requirement is raised. I think that’s why many people lose interest. Personally, I have car insurance, though I’ve never had to use it. But when my friends go to claim it, they often say that while paying is easy, the process during an accident is so inconvenient that it discourages them,” said Karma.
“We are not fully aware of what exactly is covered under the scheme. There are many diseases for which the government doesn’t support external treatment, and I’m not sure if RICB covers those areas either. If someone buys insurance, the insurer should clearly know what is covered and what is not. That lack of clarity is one reason I haven’t opted for the medical insurance,” added an individual, who wants to remain anonymous.
Omtong said, “RICBL has introduced a wonderful opportunity by covering expenses if we need to go to India for treatment. Honestly, I did not hear about this insurance until today. But since falling ill is inevitable, I think this insurance will really benefit us.”
With the government spending millions annually on medical referrals abroad, the need for such coverage is becoming increasingly evident. In the 2022–2023 fiscal year, more than half a billion ngultrum was spent to treat patients abroad.
The corporation says the scheme was designed to help families manage unexpected medical costs without draining their savings.
Kinga Thinley, the general manager with RICB said, “The medical expenses will be even higher if we include private treatments carried out by the individuals, and the pressure on the health system is going to increase if we add up the lifestyle-related diseases and the high attrition rate of the health professionals. So basically, this will drain out the savings or funds of the individuals or families, so we have come up with this medical insurance to address all these issues”
Unlike government medical referrals, the policy doesn’t require approval from a referral committee. It covers treatments in all major hospitals across 28 states in India.
Samten Dolkar
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
