Double standard… Controversy erupts over Saif Ali Khan’s mediclaim, letter written to IRDAI, questions raised on special treatment

Last Updated:January 26, 2025, 20:56 IST

Saif Ali Khan Attack: Saif Ali Khan was attacked with a knife 6 times, after which he was immediately admitted to Lilavati Hospital, where doctors immediately performed surgery and saved him from danger.

There was a fatal attack on Saif Ali Khan in his own house. (PTI)

Mumbai. After the recent attack on Saif Ali Khan, in the matter of fast approval of his medical insurance claim by Niva Bupa, an organization of medical professionals has written a letter to the insurance regulator IRDAI (IRDAI), criticizing the “privileges” given to celebrities. But questions have been raised. After Saif Ali Khan was attacked with a knife during a robbery attempt at his Mumbai home, a document of his mediclaim approval surfaced on social media. According to this, a cashless request of approximately Rs 36 lakh was made for the actor’s five-day treatment. In the initial approval, the insurance company had approved an amount of Rs 25 lakh. Niva Bupa confirmed the pre-authorization request and said that further claims will be processed as per the guidelines.

The Mumbai-based Association of Medical Consultants, which says it leads over 14,000 medical practitioners and has branches in several cities, has written to the IRDAI chairman on cashless clearance for Saif Ali Khan’s treatment. The organization said in a statement, “We are writing this letter to express our concern and dissatisfaction that recently Saif Ali Khan has been sanctioned Rs 25 lakh for cashless treatment under his insurance policy, which is not available to ordinary policyholders. “Seems like a privilege compared to the benefits available.”

“This incident highlights a dilemma where celebrities and high-profile individuals and patients with corporate policies get better terms and higher cashless treatment limits, while ordinary citizens suffer with inadequate coverage and low reimbursement rates,” the letter said. Let’s bear it.” The Medical Consultants Association has said such practices create “unjust inequality”. He further said, “We believe that insurance should be a safety net for all, regardless of social status. Special treatment based on celebrity status creates a double standard system, which is discriminatory against ordinary policyholders. “There is a need for greater transparency in how insurance claims and cashless treatment limits are determined.”

The organization has requested IRDAI to investigate the matter and ensure that all policyholders, irrespective of their social status, are treated equally. He has also demanded that guidelines should be issued to stop priority treatment and increase transparency in mediclaim.

Saif Ali Khan was admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital on January 16 after a thief broke into his house and attacked him and stabbed him six times while robbing him. Doctors told that one of his injuries was on his spinal cord and the knife was just 2 mm away from his spinal cord. Khan has been operated on for his back injury and wounds on his hands and neck. He was discharged from the hospital last week and has been advised bed rest for a week.