AP CM orders launching of 'cashless health cards' scheme

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has asked the officials to immediately launch 'cashless health cards' scheme for all the 14 lakh government employees, pensioners and their family members (totalling about 70 lakh) in the state.
About 1,885 procedures will be covered in the scheme in private as well as government hospitals network all over the state and the estimated expenditure for its implementation is Rs 400 crore per annum, an official release said here today.
The release quoted the Chief Minister as saying that the 'EHS' card would be a beneficial provision for easy, hassle-free treatment.
He also said that the scheme will be reviewed after six months and any shortcomings would be resolved and additional treatments added.

The Chief Minister reviewed the scheme on Friday night with ministers and senior officials.
The main objective of the scheme is to provide healthcare to the state government employees, pensioners and their dependent family members through a cashless, seamless and transparent scheme, the release said.
The Aarogyasri Healthcare Trust would implement the scheme and the steering committee, headed by Chief Secretary, would monitor the scheme from time to time, it added.
The release said that 60 per cent of the total amount would be borne by Government and 40 per cent by the employee or pensioner.