THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the brand new health insurance scheme, Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP), scheduled to be launched on April 1, the Health Department is all set to issue treatment cards to the beneficiaries. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the issuance of treatment cards at the Secretariat Conference Hall at 3.30 pm on Tuesday.
“The government is aiming at providing free of cost treatment up to `5 lakh. The insurance coverage will be applicable at selected government and private hospitals. As many as 40.96 lakh families will be covered under the scheme,” said Health Minister K K Shailaja.
It was on the other day that Reliance General Insurance (RGI) was selected as the insurance provider for the year 2019-20. The selection was based on tender proceedings, and a report from the eight-member high-level committee headed by the Health Secretary.
KASP, which combines the erstwhile RSBY/Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) and Karunya scheme, also incorporates the Ayushman Bharat scheme. However, the government’s move to award the tender to RGI has invited criticisms from various quarters.
Critics point out RGI, which has been the insurance provider for the RSBY/CHIS for a few years, had defaulted payment to the empanelled hospitals. The Health Department is of the stance that the pending of insurance claims is a normal process and the pending applications will be settled duly.