Ranchi: In a landmark ruling, the Jharkhand High Court has affirmed that expenses incurred for mental health treatment must be reimbursed on par with physical healthcare expenses. The court held that excluding psychiatric care from medical reimbursement schemes violates the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, and such policies cannot arbitrarily deny reimbursement for mental health treatment.
Court’s Key Observations
The HC bench, led by Justice Ananda Sen, ruled that the Contributory Post Retirement Medicare Scheme (CPRMS) clause that denies reimbursement for psychiatric treatment is in direct conflict with the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
“…there cannot be any discrimination in respect of reimbursement of expenses made by a person suffering from physical illness and mental illness…”
“…after promulgation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, exclusion of psychiatric treatment in CPRMS is rendered nugatory.”
Case Background
The case was brought before the court by a retired executive of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL). His claim for reimbursement of psychiatric treatment expenses for his wife was rejected under Clause 6.3(i) of the CPRMS, leading him to file a petition.
He argued that mental health treatment should not be treated differently from physical health treatment and that denying reimbursement was arbitrary and discriminatory under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
Court’s Ruling & Impact
The High Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, stating that:
✅ Mental health treatment is equivalent to physical health treatment and must be reimbursed.
✅ Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries, as state-controlled entities, cannot adopt policies that violate national laws.
✅ The respondents must reimburse the admissible medical expenses within six weeks.
✅ Clause 6.3(i) of the CPRMS cannot be used as a defense to deny claims.
Significance of the Judgment
This ruling reinforces that mental healthcare is a fundamental right, ensuring that individuals receiving psychiatric treatment are not discriminated against in healthcare policies. It sets a precedent for all medical reimbursement schemes to comply with the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, making mental health treatment more accessible and equitable.
