The government is working on a comprehensive health insurance scheme that will make access to medical care the right of every citizen rather than an instrument of political patronage, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has said.
Addressing reporters here on Friday, he said the new scheme would be formulated by merging the existing medical benefit schemes, including the Karunya benevolent fund. The government, he said, had not thought of winding up any medical assistance scheme or cutting off budgetary support.
Accumulated dues
Admitting that the Karunya scheme was burdened by the accumulated dues on settlement of claims, he said the previous UDF government had left arrears of ₹391 crore to be cleared. “While the UDF government had made it an instrument of patronage, the LDF views access to medical care as the right of every citizen,” Dr. Isaac said.
The Finance Minister said the failure to account the funds spent by government hospitals on the Karunya scheme was largely responsible for the accumulation of dues. The departments of Finance and Health had joined hands in an effort to sort out the problem. The heavy dues on the scheme, however, would not pose any inconvenience to patients seeking medical assistance.
Simultaneously, the government would ensure funds from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) to improve the infrastructure facilities in government hospitals and provide them with accounting software. The Karunya benevolent fund would continue till the comprehensive insurance scheme was introduced.
29,270 beneficiaries
As many as 29,270 patients had availed themselves of a total assistance of ₹389 crore from the Karunya scheme in the current year till December 31. Apart from the budget allocation of ₹250 crore, an additional amount of ₹100 crore was sanctioned for the scheme on February 9.
Dr. Isaac, however, failed to provide a time frame for the government to settle the outstanding claims. He remained non-committal on the name of the new scheme on the cards.
He said that smart health cards would be distributed under the comprehensive medical benefit scheme.
