Health schemes for the poor yet to take off

NMMC says it is waiting for the state govt’s nod to implement schemes

CBD BELAPUR: Even after its launch three years ago, the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojana is yet to reach the beneficiaries in the city.

The scheme, which covers 971 surgeries and 121 follow-up packages, was introduced by the government to help Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families access quality medical care. The civic body is yet to implement it.

Beneficiaries under the scheme are supposed to get health cards.

Families who have a yellow ration card, an Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) card, an Annapurna card and an orange ration card are eligible for the scheme. Launched in 2012, the scheme provides coverage for all expenses relating to hospitalisation of a beneficiary up to Rs1.5 lakh per family a year in any of the empanelled hospital subject to package rates on cashless basis through health cards or valid orange/yellow ration card.

The benefit is available to each and every member of the family on a floater basis. So, the total annual coverage of Rs1.5lakh can be availed by one person or collectively by all members of the family.

In case of renal transplant surgery, the immunosuppressive therapy is required for a period of one year. The upper ceiling for renal transplant would be Rs2.5 lakh per operation as an exceptional pack- age exclusively for this procedure.

The Centre has directed all states to also implement the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Swasthya Bima Yojana to provide quality medical facility to APL and BPL families. Under the scheme, beneficiaries have been provided eight various health insurance policies.

Both the schemes have been implemented in eight districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai. The scheme will cover the entire state in a phased manner. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has failed to ensure super specialty treatment to poor patients and has paid little attention to implement the schemes in the last three years.

Mahesh Khare, general secretary, RPI ( Athawale), wants the NMMC to start both health schemes at the earliest. “A party delegation will soon meet the chief minister and ask him to make it compulsory for all private and government hospitals to implement the schemes,” Khare said.

The NMMC’s chief medical officer Dr Deepak Paropkari said, “We have initiated steps to implement both the health schemes in the city. A proposal has been sent to the state for approval. After it is approved, we will start implementation of the schemes.”