BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government on Sunday announced the expansion of its flagship health assurance scheme - Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) that it had implemented instead of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
Around 3.5 crore people in 96 lakh families, who are now getting benefits under national and state food security schemes, will get cashless health coverage under BSKY from September 1 onwards.
For the first time, the State government has also introduced smart health cards for the beneficiaries.
Announcing this on the occasion of 75th Independence Day, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that all 96 lakh families will be provided smart health cards under the scheme that will transform health service delivery system.
"All the people of Odisha are my family. As the news of people selling land, jewellery or stop sending children to school to manage their treatment costs pains me, I decided to extend the hassle free quality treatment at best available health care facilities. The BSKY has been redesigned in a way that the health cards will work as debit cards for the beneficiaries," he said.
As per the first component of BSKY, the entire population of the State is being provided free treatment in the government hospitals in the State.
The second component will extend cashless health coverage to the smartcard holders in more than 200 empanelled hospitals in the country.
"Odisha is the first State to introduce smart health cards in the country and it will go a long way in strengthening health security of people of the State," Naveen said.
The families will be issued two chip cards printed with the name of the beneficiary and a 12-digit unique registration number. The cards will be distributed in Malkangiri, Balangir, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Gajapati districts in the first phase. The card distribution in all 30 districts will be completed by November.
As per the system, no document is required for cashless healthcare services in government facilities. However, the beneficiaries will have to produce the smartcard or food security card (until they get the smart card) at the empanelled private hospitals for availing cashless care up to the annual financial limit.
Earlier, around 71.69 lakh families, including 69.69 lakh Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY) cardholders and around two lakh BPL, AAY cardholders and low-income families were availing the BSKY benefits.
After unfurling the National Flag at the Unit-3 Exhibition Ground here, Patnaik thanked soldiers guarding India's borders and paid tributes to freedom fighters.
He said that Odisha is setting new milestones in various spheres and is showing the way to others to fight the COVID pandemic.
"Odisha is better-placed than many other states in the fight against COVID-19. We supplied oxygen to 17 states for two months during the second wave and saved many lives," the chief minister said.
Noting that his government is sponsoring the Indian national hockey teams since 2018 which performed stupendously in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, he said, "Our effort was to promote hockey and make the nation proud."
He said 32,000 schools in the state will be transformed under the 'Mo School Abhijaan', of which 1,072 have been developed in the first phase.