New Delhi: Under their flagship Ayushman Bharat initiative, the cabinet has approved health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per year for all senior citizens above 70. The insurance coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme would be provided regardless of the old person’s family income. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project would benefit more than 4.5 crore families with 6 crore senior citizens.
As per the project, a family with a senior citizen will get insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh annually. If there is more than one old member in the family, the coverage will be split equally. However, other family members will not be covered under this scheme. Meanwhile, the senior citizens in the families already covered under the Ayushman Bharat project would get an additional coverage of Rs 5 lakh; this, too, would be available only for the old people.
Additional coverage
A PM - JAY card will be issued to those newly joining the scheme. Senior citizens already availing benefits of other central or state government health insurance projects like the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme may choose these existing schemes or opt for Ayushman Bharat. Besides, those who have private insurance or are covered under the ESI scheme will also get Ayushman Bharat coverage. Meanwhile, the central government has allotted Rs 3,437 crore for the new project. The government added that the amount would be increased if required in the future. Around 55 crore senior citizens in 12.34 families enjoy the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Registration only after the guidelines are notified
Registration for the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which promises Rs 5 lakh in insurance coverage for all senior citizens above 70, will begin in Kerala as soon as the guidelines are published.
Meanwhile, central government’s Ayushman Bharat project would be merged with the state government’s Karunya Arogya Suraksha Project (KASP) in Kerala. Currently, treatment benefits worth Rs 5 lakh is provided only for those who are socially and financially backward. The government is struggling to pay back the amount that is spent for the treatment of senior citizens who are part of this project. They still owe Rs 1100 crore to various hospitals around the state; so, many hospitals have been offering limited treatment facilities for the insurance holders.
197 government hospitals, 4 central government hospitals and 364 private hospitals have been empanelled in KASP. Meanwhile, 41.99 lakh families are part of KASP. Besides, Rs 1050 has been determined as the yearly premium for a family. Among this, 23.97 lakh families get only Rs 631.20 as central aid. The rest of the amount for these families are to be paid by the state government. Besides, the state government needs to bear the entire premium amount for the remaining 18.02 lakh families. When Kerala spends more than Rs 1000 crore per year for the insurance coverage, the centre allots just Rs 151 crore.
