PM National Health Insurance scheme will be a game changer

Present scheme for BPL people, under RSBY, has expanded the national health insurance scheme with more than 75% coverage

Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste on Thursday termed as "gamechanger" the Prime Minister National Health Insurance Scheme, which is under consideration, and pitched for dialogue between stakeholders, including health and insurance industry for its successful implementation.

He said the present scheme for BPL people, under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), has expanded the national health insurance scheme with more than 75 per cent coverage.

Narendra Modi

"The Prime Minister's insurance scheme would be a 'game changer' in coverage and enhanced benefits. The new scheme would entail larger financial commitment from the government.

"The private health and insurance industry could partner in creating more facilities for treatment of patients, such as leveraging idle beds in private hospitals," the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said at the 10th Health Insurance Summit 2016 organised by the CII.

He also said the new national insurance scheme would devotail fragmented schemes to make the project more homogeneous and impact-oriented.

"The primary objective of the government is to make health services universal and accessible. The government would monitor implementation of the scheme through data and share it with industry," he said.

Member (Non-Life), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) P J Joseph said that number of people covered under health insurance has touched 36 crore mostly under government schemes.

New IRDA guidelines, such as provision for pilot products, which allow insurance companies to withdraw a project if it fails to click in the market, allowing wellness and preventive packages, permitting offer of discounts have been introduced to expand coverage, he said.

He called for a strong regulatory mechanism and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) for insurance products.