Approximately 78 lakh families in Tamil Nadu are likely to be covered under the proposed National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) of the Ayushman Bharat programme, being implemented by the Union government.
They are now being covered under the State government’s Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS). The figure of eligible beneficiaries (NHPS) has been worked out, using the findings of the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) as the basis.
The State government’s scheme is taking care of health requirements of a total of 1.58 crore families, says a senior official in the State Health Department.
As the State government has decided to combine its scheme with that of the Centre, it is thrashing out issues on overlapping of benefits and premium.
The matter is being scrutinised by departments such as Finance and Law, points out the official, adding that the State government was continuously in discussion with the Centre. Once all the formalities are over, a memorandum of understanding will be signed between the two governments.
The Centre’s scheme is likely to cover approximately 10.74 crore families, who are either poor or deprived rural families or those belonging to identified occupational category of urban workers, with a cover of ₹5 lakh per family.
As for the State’s scheme, the value of insurance cover is ₹2 lakh per family. The coverage encompasses 1,027 procedures, which include 38 important diagnostic procedures, 8 high-end procedures and 113 follow-up procedures.
Those having an annual income up to ₹72,000 have been chosen as beneficiaries.
For the current year, the State government has provided ₹1,361.6 crore for the CMCHIS.