Odisha Announces Healthcare Assistance of ₹5 Lakh per Family

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced that the state government would launch a new scheme which will provide healthcare assistance of ₹5 lakh per family in government hospitals to around 3.5 crore people. The chief minister announced that the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana will be launched on August 15 and will provide healthcare benefits to around 3.5 crore people from over 70 lakh families in the state. A family would get the ₹5 lakh cashless treatment in government hospital per annum. Describing the new scheme as part of his government’s commitment towards universal health coverage, Patnaik said, “Each and every one visiting any government health institutions from district to sub-center level, will be provided free of cost treatment at all the health service.”

Stating that the Biju Swasthya Kalyan scheme is not an insurance, but an assurance to the people for a better health service, Patnaik said secondary and tertiary cashless healthcare assistance will be provided up to ₹5 lakh per family per annum. The state government, under this scheme, will also provide ₹500 to meet pick up and drop expense of pregnant women and infant admitted to government hospitals. “Drop back assistance of ₹500 will be provided to all pregnant women and infant who visit public health facilities,” the chief minister said adding that this will benefit above 6.5 lakh pregnant women and sick children. The chief minister said the users fee now being collected from patients in government hospitals, would be stopped after implementation of the scheme from August 15. – Business Standard