Integrated health insurance scheme soon

NEW DELHI: After protracted deliberations decks seem to have been cleared for introducing an integrated health insurance scheme with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi giving his approval to the proposed welfare measure.

The new scheme which is likely to be named-National Health Protection scheme (NHPS) aims to bring together all existing health insurance schemes and in its new avatar is expected to offer increased coverage.

Sources said that after extensive deliberations, a final presentation was made before the PM on Monday soon after he came back from Chandigarh after the grand international yoga day celebrations.

“The wait appears to be over now. The PM seemed convinced with the final proposal,” sources said. The Union health secretary gave the presentation along with officials from Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance and the Cabinet Secretary who were also present during the meeting with the PM.

The scheme proposes to offer a health cover of up to Rs 1 lakh per family and for senior citizens, a top-up of Rs 30,000 additionally.

Officials say that the integration will ease governance and save resources of the government.

“The integrated scheme will not only help beneficiaries rise but even the number of schemes will go down, consequently saving resources of the government”.

The proposed scheme has brought together life insurances schemes where health subject is inbuilt including those which are related to accident cover, those which cover disabilities, labour, railways, textiles, fishermen etc. Interestingly, various ministries like the ministry of health, ministry of textiles, ministry of social justice and empowerment,etc.