AIIA Becomes First Ayush Institute to Offer Cashless Ayurveda Care via Insurers

In a landmark step towards integrating Ayurveda with India's mainstream health insurance ecosystem, the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, has signed a Common Empanelment Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the General Insurance Council (GIC) on 10 February 2026.

With this agreement, AIIA has been empanelled with all 32 general insurance companies under the GIC, enabling patients to avail cashless treatment facilities for eligible Ayurveda-based healthcare services—an unprecedented move for the Ayush sector.

First-of-Its-Kind Empanelment for Ayush

The MoU was signed by Prof. (Vaidya) P. K. Prajapati, Director, AIIA, and Shri Segar Sampathkumar, Director (Health), General Insurance Council, in the presence of Prof. Bejon Kumar Misra, Chairman, Core Group of Experts on Ayush Health Insurance.

Senior officials and faculty from AIIA, including Prof. (Dr.) Mahesh Vyas, Prof. (Dr.) R. K. Yadav, and Dr. Alka Kapoor, were also present.

Congratulating the institute, Prof. Misra said this was the first time in India that an Ayush institution has entered into a formal empanelment with the General Insurance Council, marking a breakthrough for insurance-backed traditional healthcare.

Boosting Access, Affordability and Trust

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Prajapati said the MoU will allow AIIA to provide cashless treatment services across all 32 GIC-member insurance companies, significantly improving patient access and affordability.

"This initiative will enhance trust in Ayurveda-based healthcare and benefit patients through easier insurance access and wider acceptance," he said, while thanking the Ministry of Ayush and the AIIA team for their sustained efforts.

According to Prof. Misra, cashless facilities at AIIA are expected to:

• Increase patient confidence

• Expand outreach to a wider population

• Strengthen institutional credibility

• Support sustainable growth of Ayush healthcare services

Dedicated Ayush Health Insurance Helpline Launched

Highlighting another major initiative, Prof. Misra announced that the Ministry of Ayush has launched India's first dedicated Ayush Health Insurance Helpline to assist beneficiaries with insurance-related queries and awareness.

Ayush Health Insurance Helpline

• Toll-free number: 1800-11-0008

• Timings: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM on all working days

The helpline aims to ensure smoother access to insurance benefits and promote wider adoption of insured Ayush treatments.

About All India Institute of Ayurveda

Established under the Ministry of Ayush, AIIA is envisioned as the apex institute for Ayurveda, integrating traditional knowledge with modern scientific research. It offers postgraduate and doctoral programmes and is actively engaged in research, drug development, standardisation, safety evaluation and global collaboration.

AIIA operates a 200-bed referral hospital with advanced diagnostics, 25 specialty departments, 12 clinical units, and 8 interdisciplinary research laboratories, along with an International Collaborative Centre for Ayurveda.

About General Insurance Council

The General Insurance Council is a statutory body under the Insurance Act, 1938, functioning since 2001 under the aegis of IRDAI. It represents India's general insurance industry and plays a key role in aligning industry practices with regulatory reforms while safeguarding public interest.

A Transformative Step for Integrative Healthcare

The AIIA–GIC MoU marks a transformative moment in India's healthcare journey, strengthening the integration of Ayurveda within the national insurance and healthcare framework and reinforcing the Government's commitment to inclusive, affordable and integrative health systems.