Nepal’s Health Insurance Board has decided to require National ID for citizens aged 16 and above when they enroll in, renew or access services under the national health insurance program. The requirement takes effect on December 16, corresponding to Poush 1 in Nepal’s Bikram Sambat calendar.
Insured families will need to update their details through the HIB e-Portal, the board’s electronic portal. The update applies to both general and targeted beneficiary groups. The board says it is intended to confirm insured people’s identities, control duplicate enrollment, update know-your-customer information and improve claims management.
The December requirement follows an agreement signed in March between the Health Insurance Board and the Department of National ID and Civil Registration. That arrangement enabled identities to be verified digitally using National ID numbers and connected information held by the two agencies.
At the time, the board said registration and renewal using National ID would begin on April 8. The latest decision makes the credential mandatory for the specified age group from December, extending the identity requirement across enrollment, renewal and insured services.
National ID is also becoming a required identity source for financial services. Nepal Rastra Bank made National ID verification mandatory for new digital wallets, directing licensed payment providers to check applicants against the government’s electronic record. Existing users who hold the credential must update their wallet profiles with its number by October 17.
The country is developing shared digital-service infrastructure through a World Bank-backed digital transformation project. The program includes a citizen-service portal, government data exchange, a social registry and a digital locker for verifiable credentials. Nepal’s communications ministry and national identity department are responsible for implementing the shared platforms.
The Health Insurance Board’s decisions also address electronic claims. Digital medical records and claim details received through an electronic medical record system will be recognized under prescribed standards. An initial 2,189 customized diagnostic codes based on the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision, will be used in the insurance management information system.
The board is also forming a task force to study purchasing and payment arrangements, with a report due within 60 days. For insured families, the identity-related step is to update their information through the board’s portal ahead of the December National ID requirement.
Sources: Nepal News, Ratopati, Radio Nepal
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
