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Journalism of Courage
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday announced the ambitious National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) in his last full Budget before the next general elections. The scheme is aimed at 10 crore families of 50 crore individuals with a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family per year. But the concept has been implemented in states – by Congress, BJP and regional parties – across the country over the years.
Andhra Pradesh
Under the “Health for All” initiative, BPL families get free health insurance while families who cannot afford high premiums can avail the scheme for a premium of Rs 100. A second “Aarogya Raksha” insurance scheme covers over 35 lakh families categorised as above poverty line for a premium of Rs 100 per month per person, while the “Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Health Insurance Scheme” covers nearly 1.3 crore BPL families.
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Telangana
The state government implements the “Aarogyasri’’ health insurance scheme which provides up to Rs 2.50 lakh insurance cover to a BPL family per year for free.
Launched in 2009 by the DMK regime, the “Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme” covers 1.54 crore families, who are covered up to Rs 2 lakh under this scheme with an access to 1027 various medical procedures. The AIADMK government has expanded the scheme.
Chhattisgarh
Since 2012 all families across the state are covered under the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana. The scheme requires families to pay Rs 30 for an insurance card, while the government pays the annual insurance premium. Close to 60 lakh cards have been distributed so far.
Karnataka
The Congress government in Karnataka has proposed combining seven existing central and state health schemes to ensure health care for all in the state. The Aadhaar-linked scheme aims to provide 1.4 crore households cashless treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh in government and private hospitals. It is free for economically weaker sections only.
Himachal Pradesh
In Himachal Pradesh ,the state government has three schemes for health care to cover all sections and different categories — up to Rs 30,000 health coverage under a state augmented central scheme, Rashtriya Swasthya Bina Yojana, the Mukhya Mantri Swastha Bima Yojana, for vulnerable sections of society, which covers Rs 2.5 lakh and in third scheme universal health care of up to Rs 30,000 for all not covered under the first two schemes.
West Bengal
The “Swasthya Sathi” scheme provides basic health insurance up to Rs 1.5 lakh per annum per family and up to Rs 5 lakh for certain critical diseases. More than 45 lakh families covering a population of at least 3 crore are covered by the scheme. The entire premium is borne by the state government.
Kerala
The state launched the comprehensive health insurance scheme for BPL families in 2008. It offers medical insurance up to Rs 30,000 for a BPL family of five members for Rs 30 a year. In 2012, a second scheme covering families with annual income below Rs 3 lakh was launched.
Punjab
The “Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojana” scheme covers state’s 37 lakh BPL families, small traders, farmers and construction workers.. The Congress government is formulating a universal health scheme to cover all 60 lakh families in Punjab.
Goa
Residents of Goa with a minimum domicile of five years are provided a minimum medical cover of Rs 4 lakh for a family of four and covers over 2 lakh Goan households.
Bihar
There is no health insurance provided by the Bihar government but the Chief Minister Medical Help Fund aims to help individuals earning less than Rs 1 lakh/ year.
