Odisha: Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana to include 20.80 lakh more families from September 1

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to expand Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), the state’s flagship health assurance scheme, to cover 20.80 lakh more families and empanel some more private hospitals from September 1.
The total number of families covered will increase to more than 92 lakh of the state’s total 96 lakh families as the scheme currently covers 71.69 lakh families.
Additional chief secretary (health) Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra on Saturday wrote to the district collectors that eligibility criteria will change to include the new beneficiaries.
The BSKY smart card will be launched in a phased manner after it is launched by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on August 15.
As per the current eligibility criteria, beneficiaries of Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana, below poverty line (BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana” (AAY) cardholders, those with income below Rs 2 lakh are included under the BSKY.
Under the revised eligibility criteria all National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Act beneficiaries will be included in the health assurance scheme.
While the government will issue BSKY cards to all the 92 lakh families, till the cards are issued they can use NFSA/ SFSA cards to avail benefits from September 1.
Under the scheme, implemented instead of Centre’s Ayushman Bharat, the government provides cover of Rs 5 lakh health benefits to the families and up to Rs 10 lakh in case of women.
The government has empanelled 183 hospitals within the state and 17 hospitals outside. The government would empanel more hospitals of national repute outside the state to provide cashless care to BSKY cardholders.
From September 1, the BSKY annual wallet of all eligible families will reset at Rs 5lakh (Rs 10 lakh for women members) one-year period till August 31, after which it will be auto renewed, the health department said.
The chief minister will officially announce the launch of the revised criteria and health cards in four districts of Malkangiri, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Balangir on August 15. All districts will be covered by November 14.