Kapurthala has become the first district in the country to distribute enhanced 64 KB smart cards to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families as part of the national health insurance policy scheme Rashtiriya Sawasthaya Bima Yojna (RSBY). The cards were distributed on Monday and a resident of Mehtabgarh locality in Kapurthala, Baldev and five of his family members were the first to receive them. While the Centre has been running the RSBY scheme,the earlier smart cards had a storage capacity of 32 KB. Under the new upgraded card,along with health facilities and life insurance cover,disability cover would also be provided to the BPL families. By Monday evening,around 50 cards had been distributed by the health department,said the nodal officer for the scheme Dr Davinder Banga. Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner (DC) Alaknanda Dyal,who distributed the cards,said it was a matter of great pride that the first 64 KB smart card in the country was formally launched in Kapurthala. According to Baldev Raj,Deputy Medical Commissioner,Kapurthala,the district has 6,915 BPL families registered under the 64 KB smart card RSBY scheme. Of these families,4,273 have enrolled under the scheme while 278 have received 32 KB smart cards,which,Baldev added,would be converted into 64 KB now. Under the RSBY scheme,BPL families can avail health insurance cover of Rs 30,000 by paying a premium of Rs 30 per annum and the policy will cover five members of a family. The smart card has been introduced to ensure that obtaining insurance becomes a simpler process. When subscribers visit an accredited hospital or health centre for treatment,their smart cards are passed through a swipe machine and details of the treatment and the expenses is transmitted to a central server that can be accessed by insurance companies. The concerned hospital can then claim the reimbursement from insurance companies.
