THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : With the state finally making up its mind to join the Centre’s flagship Ayushman Bharat- National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPS), the state government is learnt to be persuading the concerned to ensure ‘flexibility in implementing the said scheme’. The state is also said to be eagerly looking forward to a report being prepared by a six-member committee, which is working out the procedures and cost to be covered under AB-NHPM.
“There is no indecision over the signing of an MoU with the Union Health Ministry. But our demand is the freedom to structure the very initiative on our own terms,” said Rajeev Sadanandan, Health Secretary.
According to him, it is also waiting for the report being prepared by a committee headed by D Narayana, director, Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT).
When asked about this, Narayana told Express the preparation of the reports is being finalised and within 10 days it will be handed over to the government. “The committee is looking into the aspects of implementing the AB-NHPM in the state. We were asked to work out the rates and procedures by comparing it with the existing health insurance schemes like Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna/Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme-Plus (RSBY/CHIS Plus) and Karunya scheme,” said Narayana.
Earlier, Health Minister K K Shailaja had stated the state fears once it becomes part of the AB-NHPS, a majority of the people might get left out from the existing insurance coverage.“As of now, as many as 41 lakh families were included in the RSBY and CHIS scheme. While 21.5 lakh families were included in the RSBY, 19.5 lakh families were under the CHIS scheme.
Once we become part of AB-NHPS, the insurance coverage will be limited to only 18.5 lakh families,” said Shailaja.According to the minister, though the AB-NHPS boasts to cover 1,350 procedures; RSBY, CHIS and CHIS Plus together cover 1,785 procedures. She said the implementation of AB-NHPS might bring extra burden and talks were on with the Union Health Ministry to alleviate such concerns.