THE PRIEST

The Universal Health Insurance Scheme (UHIS) launched by the Government of India w.e.f. 14.7.2003 is already in existence for persons and families below the poverty line with element of subsidy from the Government. In addition, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) was also rolled out from 1.4.2008 by the Government to provide the health insurance coverage for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The scheme has also been extended to unorganized sector workers such as MNREGA workers, street vendors, beedi & domestic workers, etc. However, the Planning Commission had constituted a High Level Expert Group(HLEG) on Universal Health Coverage(UHC) to, inter alia, develop a blue print and investment plan for achieving `Health for All by 2020’.

The  ‘Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana’  for BPL families ( a unit of five)  in Unorganised Sector was launched on 1 st  October, 2007 and became operational from April 1, 2008.   Under the scheme, smart card based cashless health insurance cover of Rs. 30,000/- per annum on a family floater basis is provided to a BPL family in the unorganized sector.  The premium is shared on 75:25 basis by Centre and State Government. In case of States of North-East region and Jammu & Kashmir, the premium is shared in the ratio of 90:10.  The scheme provides for portability of smart card by the splitting the card value for migrant workers.