India's Mental Healthcare Act 2017 (MHCA) was supposed to end decades of exclusion. Section 18(2) of the Act states unequivocally that every insurer shall provide medical insurance for treatment of mental illness on par with treatment of physical illness. IRDAI's 2024 master circular reinforced this mandate, directing all health insurers to ensure compliance. Mental health conditions explicitly covered include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders. Yet seven years after the Act was passed, the gap between legislative intent and patient experience remains wide.