70 lakh co-op. members to benefit from urban Yashasvini scheme

Siddaramaiah will formally launch the extended scheme on May 27

Nearly 70 lakh members of urban cooperative societies in the State can now avail themselves of benefits under the government’s flagship Yashasvini Health Insurance Scheme.

At present, the scheme provides healthcare services to a total of nearly 38 lakh farmers.

The scheme has been extended to the urban cooperative sector and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will formally launch it in the city on May 27, Minister for Cooperation H.S. Mahadeva Prasad said here on Tuesday.

Of the 38 lakh farmers, 86,500 have availed themselves of cashless treatment (for surgical procedures) and another 1.23 lakh were treated as outpatients last year, the Minister told presspersons here. Enrolment for the extended scheme — called Urban Yashasvini Health Insurance Scheme — began on May 1 and will end on June 30.

Any member of a cooperative society, irrespective of how old the membership is, can enrol and avail himself of benefits with immediate effect. Journalists who are members of any co-operative societies in urban areas can also avail themselves of benefits, he said.

The Minister said the scheme for cooperative society members was formulated following the success of the Yashasvini scheme for farmers.

The existing scheme, which was launched in 2003 during the former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna’s tenure, covers over 10,000 farmers annually for an annual premium of Rs. 210, the Minister said.

As in the existing scheme, cooperative society members can undergo hospitalisation and avail themselves of cashless treatment up to Rs. 2 lakh when required at any of the 832 network hospitals in the State by paying an annual premium of Rs. 1,000.

People belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would have to pay a premium of Rs. 810, he said.

805 surgical procedures

Under the scheme, the beneficiaries are entitled to 805 surgical procedures identified in 13 specialities in the medical field apart from emergency treatment.

The 832 empanelled government and private hospitals include some leading corporate hospitals and clinics. Members can avail themselves of treatment at any hospital of their choice.

Although the scheme was open to all members of cooperative societies, it was not compulsory.

A total of Rs. 55 crore had been set aside for these schemes in this year’s budget. This includes Rs. 10 crore for the urban Yashasvini scheme, the Minister said.