Budget 2012-13: RSBY Health Insurance Scope may Include Non-BPL Unorganized Workers

Now, even non-BPL (below poverty line) workers from the unorganized sector may be included in the scope of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY). It is likely that the forthcoming Budget 2012-13 will expand the scope of the government-sponsored health insurance plan to include all unorganized workers.

At present, the RSBY covers only those workers from the unorganized sector and their families, who are below the poverty level.

However, workers and their families covered under the Employees’ State Insurance Scheme, Central Government Health Scheme etc., will not be eligible for coverage under the expanded RSBY.

According to the government, the labour ministry will monitor the expanded RSBY.

The Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, had recently stressed on the need to make RSBY cover available for outpatient cares also. He said, ‘We need to work towards a hassle-free and cashless outpatient care in our public hospitals.’

Under the RSBY scheme, launched in October 2007, the government provides a health insurance cover of Rs 30,000 to every BPL worker and his family for in-patient cares.

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Source-Medindia