Bengaluru, 17^th January 2021: Onsurity, India’s first tech led monthly subscription-based employee health benefits platform has bagged the India Digital Awards – ‘Best Technology for Health’ for their effective solutions in solving employee healthcare concerns for SMEs and start-ups.

 The India Digital Awards organized by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) aims to celebrate outstanding businesses, companies and enterprises who have delivered successful business outcomes and results through leveraging digital media & technology.

Onsurity’s platform provides flexibility to create the right health benefits plan completely online without any paperwork, a 28-days journey reduced to 2 mins. The digital dashboard and the power to integrate with smart apps aims to reduce operational efforts and empower HR productivity by 15-day effort to 5 mins.

The 1^st of its kind unified platform also offers instant digitized health card, seamless claim support experience with curated health and wellness offerings, upgrades to family health plans which individuals can subscribe to at their ease. Onsurity’s continuous platform innovation has led to best-in-class user experience, data-driven personalized offers, and an expanding product suite has led this trust in the customers.

Commenting on the win, Yogesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Onsurity said, “As a young entrant in the Insurtech arena with aspirations to be India’s best health-tech services marketplace, this recognition has provided glowing validation to vision. Our aim is to create simplified healthcare products for India’s Missing Middle with limited access and especially for India’s SMEs and MSMEs sector. In the coming years, we aim to be the first choice for employers and become synonymous with “Employee Benefits”. With one touch, fast online processes and the absence of any hidden charges ensure that clients and their employees get the best wellness benefits and health cover within 5 minutes. One doesn’t need much more to win the trust and business of customers across India, and the results are there for all to see.”

He further added “We dedicate this achievement to all our customers and partners, who presented us with the opportunities, our investors for their constant support and confidence and our employees, who have been a pillar of strength”.

Onsurity benefits range from Out-Patient Wellness & preventive care like doctor teleconsultations, online medicine delivery, group mediclaim & accidental covers to in-hospitalization support related to claim processing and reimbursements.

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For centuries, the way humanity has been dealing with disease and healthcare has remained mostly the same. You would fall sick, visit a doctor, get medication or treatment and recover. That tried and tested model hasn’t changed much, until very recently.

Before COVID-19, we saw some trends leaning towards wellness and healthcare. Now, it is clear that those trends aren’t going away. Here are six reasons why I believe why the renewed focus on healthcare is here to stay.

1. Awareness of Our Own Fragility

In times before, humanity has been reminded of its own fragility. From the Black Plague to the Spanish Flu, we have been brought to or knees by organisms too small to see. However, since the last pandemic (the Spanish Flu of 1918), humanity has seen a rapid increase in the development of medicine. We’ve almost eradicated smallpox, managed to combat cancer and created organs in the lab.

That success has only given us a sense of invincibility, until COVID arrived. Now suddenly, we have become aware of just how fragile we are. That has put a renewed focus on fighting diseases.

2. Globalisation Has Eradicated Borders

At the start of the pandemic, we heard politicians and public health officials announce, “We are in this together”. That is not just hyperbole. Thanks to globalisation, diseases can spread from nation to nation in a matter of days. It does not matter if you are American, Indian, Chinese or Nigerian, any disease is now capable of becoming globally transmitted.

We tried containing COVID, it did not work. The reality is we are going to have to work towards a global health standard, one that gets applied irrespective of nationality. Healthcare is going to become a requirement for globalisation.

3. COVID-19 Isn’t the Last Pandemic

In September, the WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “When the next pandemic comes, the world must be ready – more ready than it was this time.” Global warming, rising pollution and urban density are giving rise to more disease.

To combat that, we will need a more robust healthcare system, especially if another pandemic breaks out. That knowledge should ensure we put more money and effort into our healthcare industry.

4. Rise in Preventive Care

Globally, we are seeing a rise in interest in preventive care. Perhaps the stats around chronic disease have scared us? Whatever the reason, more and more people are focused on getting, and staying healthy. Market Research Future expects fitness apps to register a CAGR of 31.25% between 2019 and 2026. We are also seeing a corresponding rise for the demand in wearables.

Preventive care is as important as management in healthcare. Now healthcare professionals are not just doctors or nurses, but fitness trainers and lifestyle coaches. The stats don’t lie: people are starting to put more focus on healthcare, wellness and prevention.

5. Work-Fuelled Rise in Lifestyle Diseases

Longer working hours, greater stress and increased pollution have led to a sharp rise in chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. To combat that, workplaces are already beginning to look at offering healthcare solutions. These go beyond just insurance, to provide preventive care and wellness solutions that help keep employees happy,healthy, and regular.

Companies like Onsurity are working with organisations to offer healthcare solutions that enable healthier employees. There is a clear demand for such a product, especially since traditional group insurance policies are not as comprehensive, or economical. Now, good health habits are being driven at workplaces.

6. Accessibility of Healthcare

Thanks to COVID-19, telehealth and digital healthcare solutions have made the industry more affordable and accessible. Today, people even in remote villages in India have access to quality healthcare thanks to the many start-up’s in the country. Bringing more people into the fold, will only increase demand.

The availability of knowledge is also directly contributing. No matter who you are and where you are, chances are you have a smartphone and an internet connection. That means more people are reading about health issues and are demanding solutions. Whether they get access to artificial intelligence, BitCoin remains to be seen, but they will want access to quality healthcare.

Of course, there are plenty more reasons. For now, though, I believe these six will govern the rise in demand for healthcare. It is only sped up because of COVID-19, and now there is no looking back.

Kulin Shah, Co-Founder
Onsurity, Bengaluru

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Small businesses were, are, and will be the backbone of the Indian economy. According to the Business Standard, “MSME’s contribute 29.7% of GDP and 49.66% of Indian Exports.” With COVID-19 and the nation-wide lockdown though, this critical sector has been hit the hardest.

In the long road to recovery, there are several critical factors. One area though, that can be overlooked, is employee healthcare. The pandemic has put a renewed focus on healthcare, and as people return to work, it will be critical for companies to offer quality healthcare. Especially in light of the fact that a vaccine may not end the pandemic.

Here are five reasons why I believe employee healthcare benefits are critical for MSME’s to survive in a post-COVID world.

1. No End in Sight

Let’s address the elephant in the room first. According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that there was “no silver bullet” to COVID-19, and that “there might never be.” So, even if we do get a vaccine, all of our problems aren’t going to go away.

Instead, we will have to learn to live with COVID-19. Employees will get infected, recover and return to work. It’s a cycle we have to accept. If companies want to protect themselves, they will have to invest in healthcare. That way, employees will be able to recover from COVID-19 and return to work without worrying about the bills.

2. Healthcare in the Spotlight

COVID-19 has put a new sudden spotlight on healthcare. Now, people are more aware of healthcare tools at their disposal, from teleconsultations to preventive measures. Spurred by initiatives like Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Start-up India, digital healthcare tools are disrupting the market. They are also increasing awareness in rural India, where such messaging would have ordinarily been lost. Now, it is no longer possible to ignore health or healthcare. Wherever you live, there is going to be a demand for quality healthcare. For MSME’s too, this matters as I will explain next.

3. Healthcare Will Attract Employees

Now, job seekers will start closely analysing healthcare benefits before accepting an offer. In light of COVID-19, everyone will be looking carefully at these benefits. It is natural, since people will be going out, interacting with others, and putting themselves at risk.

MSME compliance with healthcare regulations has traditionally been low, 31% as per a KPMG & FICCI survey. However, with healthcare in the spotlight, jobseekers will demand more cover. Safety in the workplace, especially in the service industry, will always be questionable. With healthcare though, at least employees will know the company has their back. This will apply to both existing employees, and potential employees.

4. Disruptions to the Market

Currently, the healthcare market is complex, and expensive. For MSME’s, especially with limited or no profits, the idea of group health insurance may seem like an unnecessary burden. However, there are platforms that are disrupting that though.

Now, Health Tech start-up’s like Onsurity are challenging the norm. With low monthly subscriptions and flexible plans, these healthcare plans for MSME’s are not a financial burden. With models that go beyond health insurance with a comprehensive healthcare outlook, these are increasingly seeming like value-for-money propositions. That will allow more MSME’s to offer healthcare, covering more workers.

5. More than Just Insurance

In a pre-COVID world, employees would have probably been satisfied with just a run of the mill insurance. In a post-COVID world though, that is far from true. Now, people are increasingly looking at healthcare from a more complete perspective – prevention, diagnosis, treatment and medication.

There is a demand for digital healthcare solutions, as well as preventative measures. Fitness, well-being and mental health is all coming front and centre. From counselling sessions to reduced workload and health check-ups, there is a demand for all-round care. It will be the key differentiating factor, especially for white-collared jobs, when it comes to attracting talent.

There are of course, many more reasons, but I believe these five are the key engines that will drive forward the demand for corporate healthcare plans.Corporate healthcare plans are moving towards becoming a nationally recognised need. They have been a regular feature of MNC’s, but now, MSME’s are being brought into the fold. It is paramount that they do and do so in a way that reflects the changing need for quality healthcare.

Yogesh Agarwal
Founder – Onsurity

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