Back in June 2012, a landmark initiative was introduced to monitor cashless approvals—the first such step by any PSGIC, since TPAs were primarily handling claims processing at that time. The announcement created quite a buzz among brokers, corporates, and TPAs, especially around managing approvals beyond office hours, weekends, and holidays. As Head of Claims Monitoring at Delhi RO—home to the largest health portfolio, including group Mediclaim policies with a strict 30-minute TAT—I had the privilege of designing the framework, templates, and protocols in consultation with HO. The key was empowering TPA teams to ensure seamless approvals while actively engaging with hospitals, brokers, and corporates to address their concerns. With the involvement of all stakeholders, the initiative delivered tangible outcomes: Identification of outliers and malpractices Significant savings on revenue Improved transparency and efficiency These insights proved invaluable in 2018, when I took charge as Chief Manager, Health Claim Monitoring. Leveraging this experience, we were able to bring the ICR down from ~130% to below 100% within just nine months. Cashless monitoring, when implemented with discipline, has immense potential to enhance affordability and sustainability in health insurance. To be continued ….