Health insurance cover for BPL families

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 12: Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) was launched on 4 December 2008 to improve the access of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families to health insurance. Starting from the 2009-10 financial year, it will be providing insurance covering new-born babies and mothers on maternity benefit.

The Directorate of Employees State Insurance (ESI) and the Labour Department, a nodal agency and department for implementing the scheme, jointly inaugurated the RSBY in Malda today.

Mr A R Bardhan, director of the ESI Scheme, addressed a workshop at Malda college auditorium, explaining the benefits. “At present 725 diseases (HIV/AIDS is one of the key exceptions) will be covered under the RSBY package, and beneficiaries will not have to pay any deposits at the commencement of the treatment or at the end of the treatment, as the services are covered by the RSBY”, Mr Bardhan explained.

Each BPL family has to contribute a registration fee of only Rs. 30 per annum. The scheme will meet the expenses of hospitalisation and surgical procedures costing up to Rs. 30,000. According to Mr Bardhan, a total of 2.5 lakh families enlisted as BPL in Malda district will be getting benefit in this year. It should be noted, however, that insurance will only cover up to 5 members in any given BPL family.

The scheme will be actively launched in East Midnapore and North 24 Parganas very soon. The National Insurance Company Limited has been selected as the implementing agency for these four districts. The company will recieve a premium of Rs. 500 for medical insurance from the state and central government.

Meanwhile, preparations are being made. The minister for state parliamentary affairs and environment, Mr Sailen Sarkar, inaugurated the scheme by handing over ‘smart cards’ to five people defined as BPL. From this week the implementing units, comprising the officials of block, panchayat, and insurance, will begin the registration of BPL members and deliver smart cards to them through the gram panchayat offices.

The district administration has planned to start the registration process with BPL families from the Gazole and Bamongola blocks. At present, the registered BPL members under the RSBY will be receiving facilities from seven selected nursing homes in the district that fall within the RSBY network.