Health cover for families in poverty

Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 17 

If statistics are to go by, then eighty thousand below the poverty line (BPL) families in Nagaland will soon be covered under the Rashtriya Awasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY or National Health Insurance Scheme) launched by the Government of India on October 1, 2007. The scheme which became operational in April this year will cover all the BPL families in the unorganized sector in the next five years. 

Nagaland will be the first state in the north-east region to enjoy this benefit. Seen as a tool for empowering BPL families, this health insurance scheme, if implemented, will also act as an agent for creating other opportunities associated in the scheme’s successful functioning. 

The state government will also bear lesser financial grant for the health insurance scheme because the centre has fixed only 10% as premium to be paid by the state, whereas other states are paying 25%. However, the centre makes it clear that there should be financial commitment from the states to implement this health insurance scheme. 

As per guidelines of RSBY, a technical cell will be set up by the central government to assist the state government in preparation of projects and monitor and evaluate the implementation of it; while the state government will have to put in place an institution for implementing the health insurance programme. One unique feature of RSBY is that it operates on a business model. Government of India representative, Anil Swarop, IAS, Director General Labor Welfare issued a press note stating that there are business opportunities for all key players, like insurance companies, hospitals, smart card service providers and the intermediaries. 

Swarop also pointed out that an average of around rupees 7.5 crores will be pumped in each district which will create business opportunities as there will be incentive for private sector health providers to set up heath related infrastructure. 

Currently operational in twelve states, the insurance to the tune of thirty thousand (30,000) covers all illness that requires hospitalization and pre-existing diseases. The insurance covers five members in a BPL family and the beneficiaries will be issued smart cards. The smart card issued to beneficiaries is assured full security as it envisages use of finger print verification and more interestingly, the beneficiary can choose the hospitals from a list of hospitals, including private hospital, for seeking treatment. RSBY is likely to be launched by January 1, 2009 in Nagaland. 
 



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