Following requests from private hospitals to revise rates of various treatments under the Swasthya Sathi health insurance scheme, the West Bengal government has decided to enhance rates for at least 33 packages, a senior official said on Tuesday.

While rates for treatment of cardiac-related problems were raised by 25 per cent, those for general medical conditions were increased by around 20 per cent, Health Secretary NS Nigam said.

"The overall expenditure due to the revision will rise by 7-10 per cent," Nigam said.

The decision was taken at a virtual meeting where representatives of private and state-run hospitals, health department officials and others took part.

Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and Home Secretary HK Dwivedi also attended the meeting.

"We had a productive meeting. The state government has agreed to enhance rates of packages by 15-20 per cent.

Although the percentage of increase is less than our expectation, we appreciate the state government's positive approach towards providing quality healthcare to the residents of West Bengal," Group CEO, AMRI Hospitals, Rupak Barua, said.

He said that the private medical establishments still have concerns over the 20 per cent revision in rates for medical management, he said.

Coverage

Months before the 2021 state polls, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in December last year expanded the 'Swasthya Sathi' scheme to cover the state’s entire population.

The scheme, which was initially launched in 2016, is a basic health cover for secondary and tertiary care up to Rs 5 lakh per annum per family.

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