Health insurance gets MVA wings
With its own healthcare policy, govt to up hospitals from 492 to 1000
In a significant move, the Maha Vikasa Aghadi government proposes to increase the number of hospitals from 492 to 1,000 under its own healthcare insurance scheme titled Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY). The government plans to expand the scheme to 255 tehsils from the present 100 tehsils so that more people can avail the insurance benefit under it. The aim is one hospital in every tehsil. The government will take a final decision in the next 15 days for increasing the reach under MJPJAY.
Minister of Public Health Rajesh Tope told FPJ: “The number of insured people will increase. There is an upper limit of Rs 1.50 lakh per family which is not exhausted. At present, 83.72 lakh families are covered under the MJPJAY. The high-level committee will decide the hospitals to be added under the scheme as per the stipulated norms.” Tope informed that in the remotest of areas, the condition of 30 beds in hospitals will be relaxed to 20 beds. With the increase in number of hospitals, there will be a rise in patients resulting in maximum claims from the insurance companies.
Tope informed that MJPJAY has been integrated with the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
In Maharashtra, under the MJPJAY, 132 government reserved procedures are performed only in an empanelled government hospital and medical college subject to availability of facility and procedures. The benefit will be available to each and every member of the family on a floater basis wherein the total annual coverage of Rs 1.5 lakh can be availed by one individual or collectively by all members of the family.
Mohalla Clinics
Minister of Public Health Rajesh Tope has said the government is serious to implement the Mohalla Clinic scheme on the lines of the AAP government model in Delhi.
“Through such clinics, the primary health care treatment will be provided and these clinics will have a sufficient number of doctors, medicines and medical equipment. The practising doctors, who have their private practice, can also be outsourced in these clinics in the event of a shortage of government doctors in such primary healthcare centre.
Tope informed that a high-level team of the Department of Public Health will soon visit Delhi to study AAP government's model, and thereafter the scheme will be implemented across the state.
The minister said that Thane Municipal Corporation on Thursday will launch 'Aapla Dawakhana' (Our Clinic) which has been structured on the Mohalla Clinic. Moreover, the state government wants to increase the pace of implementation of the Health Wellness Scheme (HWC) under the National Health Mission. The primary health care sub centres are named as HWC. These centres will be ready with doctors, medicines and equipment. The funds will come under the National health Mission.