National ID Card Mandatory for Health Insurance from December 1

Kathmandu / Oct. 04: A National Identity Card will be mandatory for citizens aged 16 and above to enroll in Nepal’s Health Insurance Programme from December 1.

The Health Insurance Board (HIB) made the decision to require a National Identity Card for new enrollment, renewal and access to health insurance services.

According to the Board, all insured families under both the general and targeted categories will be required to update their details through the HIB e-Portal. The measure is expected to help verify the identity of insured individuals, prevent duplicate enrollment, update Know Your Customer (KYC) information and improve claims management.

The Board meeting also decided to form a strategic purchasing study task force to make the procurement and payment system under the Health Insurance Programme more scientific and cost-effective. The task force will submit its report within 60 days.

Similarly, the Board Secretariat said digital health records and claims information received through the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system will be recognized for claims verification in accordance with prescribed standards.

In the first phase, 2,189 customized ICD-11 codes will be introduced into the Insurance Management Information System (IMIS), according to the Secretariat.