Subsidised health care for APL families in offing

Bengaluru, Jan 18: The State government will launch the Rajiv Arogya Bhagya scheme for providing subsidised healthcare for Above Poverty Line families and cash-less medical treatment for government employees under the Jyoti Sanjeevini scheme, on January 20.

Implementation of the Rajiv Arogya Bhagya scheme also means every citizen, irrespective of income and who is not covered by any health insurance scheme, will be eligible for low-cost surgeries.

Addressing the media here on Saturday, Health Minister U T Khader said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would formally launch the schemes. These schemes would cover ailments related to heart, neurology, kidney, cancer, burns, accident and children affected by serious diseases.

As many as 449 serious types of surgeries related to these seven ailments have been identified.

Those who wish to make use of the schemes should enrol themselves at the Arogya Suraksha Trust. The Rajiv health scheme is aimed at providing help to APL card holders and their family members who are facing serious health problems.

There are plans to provide advanced healthcare at the government super speciality hospitals. This would be on cash payment basis.

The Trust has tied up with 124 hospitals for implementing the scheme. Medical care to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh could be availed annually by an APL family.

The minister said that treatment under the Rajiv health scheme is not totally free. “They will have to pay a minimum fee. For example, if a patient is admitted to a general ward, 30 pc of the total medical cost has to be paid by the patient, and the rest 70 pc would be met by the Arogya Suraksha Trust. In super speciality wards, 50 pc of the cost would be met by the Trust,” he added.

The minister said the details of the schemes would be made available on an app and the same would be released on January 20.

The Jyoti Sanjeevini scheme is aimed at helping the State government employees and their dependent family members to get treatment in super speciality hospitals. As many as 110 hospitals have registered with the Trust. Medical treatment would be cash-less in these hospitals for the identified seven ailments.

The scheme has not only made provision for getting free surgeries done but also doctors consultation, food, medicines and hospital expenses. In case of purchase of stents and prostheses which would cost exceeding the maximum assistance offered by the government, the cost has to be absorbed by the patient.

Those whose monthly income is Rs 16,000, are eligible for ordinary ward, Rs 16,000-43,000 – semi deluxe and Rs 43,201 and above – luxury wards.