KATHMANDU: After finding that various hospitals and health institutions have been reluctant to provide health insurance services and have failed to give patients the necessary services, the Health Insurance Board (HIB) has warned that legal action will be taken in accordance with the law.

After it was found that some healthcare providers under the insurance program were causing difficulties for insured patients and not providing services, the HIB has urged that treatment be facilitated smoothly.

The HIB has noted its concern over hospitals requiring advance appointments to obtain insurance services, displaying discriminatory behavior toward the insured, and failing to provide necessary services and medicines. The HIB has warned against engaging in or causing any activities that violate the Health Insurance Act, 2017, the Health Insurance Regulations, 2018, and existing laws.

Krishna Prasad Poudel, executive director of the HIB, said that if any service-providing health institution is proven to have acted against the regulations during monitoring, action will be taken in accordance with the Health Insurance Act, 2017.