NEW DELHI: The Centre is considering to revise the proposed National Health Protection Scheme for providing health insurance benefit of about Rs 3 lakh each to about 50 per cent of India’s population. This will be the biggest public sector health insurance plan in the country.
The scheme, earlier planned with a Rs 1 lakh benefit for those covered, was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech in 2016. The modified scheme is likely to be incorporated in the 2018-19 Budget, top sources in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told this newspaper.
A senior official in the ministry said that the scheme has obtained approval from the Expenditure Finance Committee of the finance ministry but a decision to enhance the insurance amount and include new clauses were taken later.
“Under the scheme, an additional top-up package of Rs 30,000 is likely to be provided to senior citizens. The scheme is estimated to cost Rs 24,000 crore to the government for five years and will go up if the benefit of an additional Rs 2 lakh is added,” the official familiar with the development said.
The scheme is projected to benefit 10 crore families in the first phase, mostly those belonging to the Below Poverty Line category or those in the list of deprivations as per the socio-economic caste census data.
Currently named NHPS, the scheme may get a new name on its launch next year.
In 2008, the UPA government had launched Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) with health cover up to Rs 30,000, but its enrollment was poor.
Sources said that under the new scheme, as the number of hospitals added to the empanelled network will increase—including primary, secondary and tertiary care hospitals—it will potentially improve overall healthcare in the country.
At present, 18,000 hospitals cater to patients under RSBY.
“We are also trying to fix rates decided for medical procedures. The current rate fixed for reimbursement is very low and not arrived scientifically,” the official said. “Hospitals are either reluctant to be a part of the scheme or cut corners to compensate for that loss. Either way, it is the common man who is affected.”
He added, “To improve efficiency of the scheme, the option of co-payment can be included as that will empower and help patients. This will be beneficial for middle-class families who cannot afford the entire treatment but can pay a little more to the hospital for advanced care.”