Chief Minister Ms. Jayalalitha Announces New Insurance Scheme

In a new bonanza to the people of Tamilnadu, Chief Minister J Jayalalitha announced a new comprehensive medical insurance scheme. She said the new scheme, covering 950 medical procedures, provides an insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh per year, which would be allowed up to Rs 1.50 lakh for treatment of certain diseases. She said steps would be taken to identify the insurance firm for implementing the new scheme. 'During the interim period, till the insurance firm is selected, those requiring treatment will be allowed under the existing scheme at recognised hospitals limited to the amount fixed under the scheme,' she said. The government would send the amount incurred on treatment directly to the hospital, she added. The previous Kalaignar Insurance Scheme providing insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh for four years, had expired on July 5th and the new Insurance Scheme announced was aimed at providing affordable and quality health services to the people. She said that the previous scheme did not fully meet the health requirements of the people and had only paved way for the growth of private insurance firms and hospitals.

Jayalalitha said as against 642 medical procedures covered under the previous scheme, the new one would cover 950 procedures, including advanced and neo-natal treatment.

The diagnostic charges would also be met under the scheme for both surgical and non-surgical procedures recommended by government hospitals or at authorised medical camps. This was not so under the previous scheme, she added. Moreover, the scheme would also cover the diagnostic charges a day prior to the hospitalisation and five days after discharge, she added. The amount required for post-operative treatment for certain diseases would be fixed and paid later.

Jayalalitha said the system of providing the treatment charges directly to the private hospitals would also be extended to Government Hospitals. 'Under the scheme, certain medical procedures will be allowed to be performed only at Government Hospitals which will help in their upgradation and special and exclusive areas will be earmarked in the government hospitals identified under the scheme. This will attract more patients to the government hospitals under the scheme,' she added.

Source-Medindia