A National Health Insurance Scheme is a health insurance program initiated and maintained by the Government of India. In order to provide adequate healthcare to the poor section of the society, the Government of India along with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and National Knowledge Commission, has set up the National Health Portal. The purpose of National Health Portal is to provide healthcare related information to the citizens of India and to serve as a single point of access for consolidated health information. Under this portal, multiple healthcare plans have been established.
Let us learn more about each of these plans.
Note: All information has been sourced from the official website of National Health Portal.
RSBY has been launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India to provide health insurance coverage for Below Poverty Line families. The beneficiaries under RSBY are entitled to hospitalization coverage up to Rs. 30,000/- for diseases that require hospitalization. There is no age limit under RSBY and pre-existing diseases are covered from day one. The beneficiary simply has to pay a registration fee of Rs. 30 and the premium is paid by the Central and State Government. Also, you can avail cover for the head of household, spouse and up to three dependents.
This social security scheme is designed to provide socio-economic protection to worker population and their dependents. Under this plan, the beneficiaries are allowed various cash benefits in case of physical distress due to sickness, temporary or permanent disablement etc. resulting in loss of earning capacity, the confinement in respect of insured women, dependents of insured persons who die in industrial accidents or because of employment injury or occupational hazard. Under these situations, the beneficiaries are entitled to a monthly pension called the dependents benefit.
The Central Government Health Scheme is designed to provide comprehensive health care facilities to central government employees/pensioners and their dependents living in CGHS covered cities. The medical facilities are provided through Wellness Centres/polyclinics under Allopathic, Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathic systems of medicine.
This is a social security scheme for rural landless households. It was launched on 2nd October, 2007. Under this scheme, the head of the family or one earning member in the family is covered. The cost of premium is Rs. 200 which is paid by the central and state government. The age limit is 18 years to 59 years.
Launched on 10th August 2000, this scheme provides life insurance cover to 45 occupational groups. They have been mentioned below. Effective from 01.01.2013, Aam Admi Bima Yojana and Janashree Bima Yojana have been merged into one scheme and renamed as Aam Admi Bima Yojana.
This scheme is managed and implemented by four public sector general insurance companies. It is directed to assist poor families. Under this scheme, beneficiaries can reimburse medical expenses of upto Rs. 30,000/- towards hospitalization floated amongst the entire family or death cover due to an accident of Rs. 25,000/- to the earning head of the family and compensation due to loss of earning of the earning member Rs. 50/- per day upto maximum of 15 days. The rate of premium stands at Rs. 200 for an individual, Rs. 300 for a family of five and Rs. 400 for a family of seven.
The Ayushman Bharat is a national health protection scheme which will cover over 10 crore BPL families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries). The scheme will provide coverage upto Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
Note: Ayushman Bharat - National Health Protection Mission will subsume the on-going centrally sponsored schemes - Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS).
From this article, we can clearly see that the Government of India has established many positive schemes for the health and well-being of the poor population of the country.
