Niva Bupa Health Insurance has suspended its cashless treatment facility at all Max Hospitals across India, effective August 16, 2025. This move is expected to affect a significant number of insurance holders who rely on cashless treatment and other facilities at insurer-linked hospitals. The decision was made after the agreement between Niva Bupa and Max Hospitals expired in May 2025, and the two parties were unable to reach a mutual agreement on tariff revisions.
According to Dr. Bhabhtosh Mishra, Director & Chief Operating Officer at Niva Bupa Health Insurance, the company had been discussing tariff revisions with Max Hospitals, but they were unable to come to an agreement. As a result, cashless services at Max Hospitals have been temporarily suspended. Max Healthcare, on the other hand, has stated that they had continued to provide cashless services to Niva Bupa policyholders despite the contract expiration, but Niva Bupa’s request to further reduce tariffs was deemed unviable and could compromise patient safety and quality of care.
Niva Bupa has removed all Max Hospitals from their list of network hospitals on their website, effective September 1, 2025. However, policyholders can still avail of treatments at Max Hospitals, but only on a reimbursement basis. This means that they will have to pay the bills upfront and then file for reimbursement with Niva Bupa. The insurance provider has assured its customers that they are making alternative arrangements to ensure a smooth treatment process and has begun a priority reimbursement process for those currently undergoing or seeking treatment at Max Hospitals.
Niva Bupa policyholders have been advised to consider one of their 10,000+ partner hospitals, where the cashless facility remains fully available. The company has stated that they are committed to providing their customers with the best possible service and are working to resolve the issue with Max Hospitals. In the meantime, policyholders will have to navigate the reimbursement process, which may cause some inconvenience. The suspension of cashless treatment facilities at Max Hospitals is a significant development in the Indian health insurance market, and it remains to be seen how this will affect the relationship between Niva Bupa and Max Hospitals in the future.