Govt to provide health insurance for trans persons, sex reassignment surgeries to be covered

The National Health Authority, under the Health Ministry, signed a memorandum of understanding on this scheme with the Social Justice Ministry on Wednesday.

“The Rs 5-lakh cover is for an entire family under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. But we have changed the definition of the family to provide the total yearly coverage to transgender persons,” said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, calling the scheme a landmark step.

According to officials, health cards issued to trans persons will not cover their family members.

More hospitals will be empaneled to provide sex reassignment surgeries. The minister, at the signing of the MoU, also said provisions were being made to offer services at AIIMS and other hospitals.

There are 4.8 lakh transgender persons in India who will be eligible for benefits under the scheme, the Health Minister said. “The Social Justice Ministry has a database of 4.8 lakh transgender persons. This will be added to the Ayushman Bharat database and they will be able to avail of benefits,”

Those not already included can get their names added to the Social Justice Ministry database or use their Aadhaar card, with their gender mentioned, to avail of the scheme.

“The scheme will cover all transgender persons not receiving such benefits from other centre/state sponsored schemes,” said a statement from the Health Ministry. The statement also said benefits will be extended to those holding a transgender certificate issued by the national portal for transgender persons. As per the online portal, only around 8,000 certificates have been issued so far.

Medical professional and transgender activist Dr Aqsa Shaikh said: “The 4.8 lakh figure is as per the 2011 census and only 2 per cent of this number have been issued the certificate by the Social Justice Ministry so far. However, even (if) others are able to get their cards, the challenge is that sex reassignment surgeries are not offered by many institutions, and there are very few trained plastic surgeons in the country.”