Kejriwal rules out implementing Modicare in Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday ruled out his government implementing the Ayushman Bharat scheme, known as Modicare, turning down a request from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in this regard.

"I am very pleased to tell you that Ayushman Bharat Yojana is in implementation since a long time. Delhi government's health scheme is ten times bigger and more inclusive than Ayushman Bharat. Delhi government's scheme has everything that Ayushman Bharat has along with many additional facilities", he said in a letter to Vardhan.

Kejriwal also pointed out some key differences between Ayushman Bharat and his government's health scheme and claimed that Delhi's scheme covers more people, offers more financial aid and also includes a waiver for OPD fee, tests and medicines.

Asserting that lakhs of patients from two neighbouring states, UP and Haryana, where Ayushman Bharat is implemented, come to Delhi for treatment, Kejriwal claimed that this shows the Delhi scheme to be better than the Centre's scheme.

Earlier this week, Vardhan had written to the Chief Ministers of Delhi, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal urging them to join the central government's flagship health protection scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).