Shimla: Making healthcare affordable for below poverty line people, the Himachal and central governments are to foot Rs 9 crore each as premium for providing an hospitalization insurance cover to 2.92 lakh people in the state.
Speaking about launch of the state wide Rashtriya Swashta Bima Yojna insurance scheme, Rajeev Bindal, health minister said that after successful implementation of the insurance cover in two districts of Kangra and Shimla, on Friday (8th January) it would be extended to all 2.92 BPL families in the state.
Whereas originally the premium was to be shared on a 75:25 basis between the centre and state but the state increased it share to provide extra critical care insurance cover of Rs 1.75 lakhs for poor patients who cannot afford specialized care for major diseases like heart surgeries, he said.
Under the scheme the identified poor person needs to pay Rs 30 to get an smart card made with United Insurance company and balance Rs 650/- premium would be footed by the state. On hospitalization, the hospital authorities would process all claims upto Rs 30,000. For critical care services the state has shortlisted hospitals where such treatment can be availed, he added.
To launch the scheme all over the state, the state and centre are to enter into a memorandum of understanding, the signing of which is to take place on Friday morning, in presence of chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.
Anil Swaroop, director general, labour and employment on behalf of central government and PC Dhiman, secretary health on behalf of state government are scheduled to sign the agreement.
Smart cares to all BPL families would be issued from January to April and the insurance cover would come into effect from 1st March, said Bindal.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
