The State government, which rolled out Nagara Yashasvini health insurance scheme for members of co-operative societies in urban areas on Tuesday, is planning a mass insurance scheme that provides healthcare cover to all citizens, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.
After launching the Nagara Yashasvini scheme under the public-private partnership model, he said affordable and quality healthcare should be within the reach of all classes of people.
Rs. 10 crore in budgetThe Chief Minister said the government had set aside Rs. 10 crore in the current year for Nagara Yashasvini and was willing to provide more funds if necessary. To avail of the scheme, members of urban co-operative societies have to pay an annual premium of Rs. 1,010. They can enrol all members of the family in the scheme (from a newborn to members aged below 75) and treatment for as many as 823 kinds of health problems can be availed of from 496 identified hospitals.
About the success of the Yashasvini health insurance scheme for rural areas launched in 2003, the Chief Minister said it had so far helped over 6 lakh members with treatment costing Rs. 543 crore. Annual premium for rural co-operative members is Rs. 210. Minister for Cooperation H.S. Mahadev Prasad said the contours of the scheme and the diseases to be covered could be reviewed at the end of one year, depending on the demand and response.
Minister for Infrastructure Development, Information and Wakf R. Roshan Baig said generic medicines were not accessible to the poor, though India was their third highest producer. Most of it was being exported, he added.
