Moreover, 24% rural and 18% urban households have to borrow to meet their healthcare expenses. Often, the people find it difficult to get out of this debt trap.
The Ayushman Bharat scheme which was launched on the 23rd of September, 2018 from Ranchi, Jharkhand intends to change this scenario. The scheme is fast becoming popular as Modicare.
In this current year itself, the Central Government proposes to spend Rs. 3,500 cr on the healthcare of the rural and urban poor. This is termed as the biggest healthcare scheme in the world. The 60% expenditure under this scheme will be met by the Centre while the remaining 40% by the states.
10 cr families (meaning 50 cr people) have been selected to be the beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The identification of families has happened on the basis of Socio Economic Cast Census (SECS) database.
Each family will be eligible for a healthcare benefit of up to Rs 5 lacs per year.
The beneficiaries can be treated in Government Hospitals or in the identified Private Hospitals.
The scheme will provide cashless and paperless scheme to the eligible patients. The scheme covers 1354 packages which include coronary bye pass, stenting and knee replacement. However, organ transplant is not included in this.
There is no cap on family size or age to avail benefit under this scheme. Similarly, Aadhaar card is not mandatory to avail benefit under this scheme. Also that a patient can seek treatment in any identified government or private hospital.
The Process: It is simple. The patient approaches an identified hospital. Aarogya Mitras help the patient in admission. The patient’s identity and eligibility is ascertained from the software established in every identified health unit. The hospital checks package and the available balance for the family. Treatment is started followed by the discharge. Claim is settled electronically and patient feedback is sought.
So far, 8735 hospitals have been empanelled.
These 5 states have not been a participant of this scheme: Telangana, Delhi, Punjab, Odisha and Kerala.
