Edited by Deepali Verma
The Odisha government recently came out with the third phase of the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) which includes all the families of rural areas of the state yet not covered under the first two phases of the scheme. It will ensure cashless care in private hospitals for critical ailments. The third phase of expansion is estimated to provide health assurance to 90 per cent (approximately over 1.10 crore families) of the population under the BSKY.
“This will allow the people to use cashless care of Rs 5 lakh per annum (upto 10 lakh for women members of the family), in empaneled private hospitals both inside and outside the State, for identified critical illnesses,” the Chief Minister added.
The driving force behind all interventions in the health sector in Odisha is the “Sustha Odisha, Sukhi Odisha”, as per the Chief Minister. He further added saying that it has been his dream to provide universal health coverage to the people of Odisha. To carry this vision forward, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana was brought out 5 years ago to ensure health assurance to the people of Odisha, he said.
BSKY coverage is undergoing phase-wise expansion to provide comprehensive health protection to the entire population of our State, the Chief Minister said noting that in the implementation of the first phase, all services in public health facilities were made free of cost for all persons, irrespective of income or residence. While in the second phase, BSKY facilitated cashless health care in private health facilities for all ration card holders.
BSKY, every month allows over 45 lakh persons to receive free health care at public health facilities in the state while 1.3 lakh persons receive cashless care, the Chief Minister said, adding that this amounts to a total of Rs 260 crores each month in empaneled private hospitals.
The Chief Minister is hopeful that the third phase of expansion of the BSKY will ensure that no family in the state is left vulnerable owing to lack of financial resources to struggle with critical illnesses.
