Page 23 - Insurance Times August 2019

Krushak Kalyan Yojana in Odisha and Comprehensive Health
Insurance Scheme in Kerala.

Whether the states would continue to run these
programmes, or adopt Ayushman Bharat, is not clear yet.
When the price discovery is made through the tender
process, the premium will be high for states where
utilisation is high. Experience under the decade-old
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), which enrolled
more than 30 million families below the poverty threshold,
varies from state to state. In terms of the mode of
implementation, state governments will be allowed to
expand AB-NHPM both horizontally and vertically.

They can implement it through an insurance company or
students to choose healthcare over other career options directly through a trust/society or a mixed model. However,
that promise a faster and more reliable route to job it is likely that most states will employ an insurance model
satisfaction. wherein companies will be chosen through a process of
tender. Out of pocket (OOP) expenditure for healthcare in
The existing evidence shows that providing insurance to the India is over 60 percent, which leads to nearly 6 million
poor not only saves lives but is also "cost-effective". That families slipping into poverty due to catastrophic health
is, it provides good value for money as the benefits of expenses. The AB-NHPM is expected to have an increased
insurance far outweigh the costs. However, cost-effective benefit cover for nearly 40 percent of the country's
health coverage must cover primary care. This is where the population.
second feature of Ayushman Bharat Programme-creation of
150,000 wellness centres across the country-is a very References:
significant and welcome announcement. Sub-centres (and 1. https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/ayushman-bharat-
primary health centres) are the first line of contact of national-health-protection-mission
citizens to the public health system in India. Strong primary 2. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/policy/
care is fundamental to keeping overall access to healthcare cabinet-nod-for-national-health-protection-mission
equitable and affordable in the country.
3. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/ayushman-
bharat-national-health-protection-mission
The biggest constraint to making this happen is not shortage
4. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/government-
of capital or infrastructure, but an acute shortage of human
nod-to-launch-of-ayushman-bharat
resources. Most public healthcare facilities (primary,
5. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/cabinet-
secondary and tertiary) have significant shortage of doctors,
clears-ayushman-bharat-national-health-protection-
nurses and other health workers, often higher than 50%.
mission
Many states are already running their health insurance
6. IRDAI Annual Report 2016-17
schemes like Aarogyasri in Andhra Pradesh, Mukhyamantri
Swasthya Bima Yojana in Jharkhand & Uttarakhand, Biju 7. Newspapers & Journals T

!! Hearty Congratulations !!

Thanks readers for excellent response for our Insurance Quiz published in our July 2019 issue. This month the lucky
winners of the Quiz are Dr. Ashok Kumar Jain & Bindu Jadav.
Who will be the next?????
Who will be the next?????
Who will be the next?????
Who will be the next?????
Who will be the next?????
The Insurance Times, August 2019 23