With private doctors up in arms over the proposed amendments to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act, the launch of the State government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme called ‘Arogya Bhagya’ has been delayed. It was supposed to be rolled out on November 1.
While a Government Order (GO) on the scheme is yet to be issued, sources in the Health Department say the Finance Department has raised objections as the premium for some existing schemes has already been paid till March.
In August, the government announced that UHC would be rolled out on November 1, bringing all existing government health schemes under one umbrella. The Aadhaar-linked scheme aims to prevent overlapping of health schemes and duplication in fund release.
Seven existing schemes — Vajpayee Arogyasri, Yashaswini, Jyothi Sanjeevini, Mukhyamantri Santwana Harish scheme, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Rajiv Arogya Bhagya, and Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) — are being merged under UHC.
Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Ajay Seth told The Hindu that the launch has been delayed as the groundwork is yet to be completed. “We are in the process of setting up a centralised IT system that will record patient enrolment details at the time [he or she] walks into a hospital. The GO on the scheme should be out by the end of next week. We are hoping to launch [the scheme] by mid-December,” he said.
Under UHC, all the 1.4 crore households in the State will be eligible for cashless treatment for up to ₹1.5 lakh in government and private hospitals.
Priority and deprived households (BPL card holders), farmers, unorganised sector workers, pourakarmikas, members of SC and ST communities, members of cooperative societies, government employees, accredited mediapersons, and elected representatives — who make up 1.05 crore households — will be classified under Category A. Thy will not have to make any contribution.
The remaining population, classified as Category B, has to enrol online with Aadhaar details by paying an annual premium of ₹300 in rural areas and ₹700 in urban areas.
Logistics
The annual cost of implementing the scheme is estimated at ₹869.4 crore. The Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, which has been implementing various existing health schemes, will be the nodal agency.
Admitting that the Finance Department has raised objections, Mr. Seth said some issues relating to merging of schemes have to be sorted out. “As the premium for some existing schemes has already been paid up to March, it will take some time to realign and merge the schemes. We are working to launch the scheme at the earliest,” he said.
Meanwhile, sources say as the government is looking to fix rates for various secondary and tertiary procedures under the KPME Act, it would be feasible to roll out the scheme after the Act is passed in the State legislature.
