The Hindu Business Line : Kerala to launch health insurance scheme today

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct. 1 The Kerala Government has worked out a comprehensive health insurance scheme, which will be formally launched on October 2.

The scheme, being inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, in Alappuzha district, will become operational in the entire State by November and will have validity till November 30, 2009. Those who join the scheme in October will start getting the benefit of the scheme from December 1, said the Health Minister Mrs. P.K. Sreemathy.

The scheme, which will provide coverage of Rs 30,000 to a family of five persons, will be totally free for all the below-the-poverty-line (BPL) families figuring in the Central and State lists.

The Government will distribute ‘smart cards’ to around 22 lakh families in the State, comprising 11.79 lakh BPL families as identified by the Planning Commission for being included in the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana and another around 10 lakh BPL families identified by the State Government.

The above-the-poverty-line (APL) families can also join the scheme by paying an annual premium of Rs 550. The APL families, who join the scheme after the first three months, will have to pay only proportionately low annual premium.

The member families will be sanctioned a maximum amount of Rs 500 a day for any kind of treatment and Rs 1,000 a day for treatment in the intensive care unit. The Government has fixed rates for around 750 medical and surgical interventions that will be covered under the scheme.

More Stories on : Social Security | Health | Kerala

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