PANAJI: The state government is currently chalking out a health insurance scheme of up to Rs 60,000 per year, which will cover every Goan family. A provision of Rs 15 crore will be made for the same.

The highly placed government sources informed that the scheme will be drawn on the lines of the National Health Insurance Scheme of the central government and the beneficiaries of the scheme will have to pay only minimal registration fee.
Under the scheme, any member of the beneficiary family will receive an amount of up to Rs 60,000 per year, for treatment in government as well as some select private hospitals.
The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat had announced the scheme in his budget speech, earlier this year, in commemoration of the golden jubilee year of the Liberation of Goa. The finalisation of the details of the scheme has now reached the last phase. The scheme is being given final shape by consulting experts in the field of insurance, finance as well as health sectors.
The National Health Insurance Scheme of the central government is valid only for the below poverty line population, and the beneficiary families of the scheme are entitled for medical treatment costing up to Rs 30,000. These families, for the purpose of registration have to pay an annual registration fee of Rs 30. Under the scheme, they can avail medical facilities in government as well as private hospitals included in the government list, after producing the smart card.
The state health insurance scheme will also require its beneficiaries to produce the smart card for availing the facilities under it. The finance department predicts that an amount between Rs 15 crore and Rs 18 crore would be required to insure around 3.5 to 4 lakh families in the state. The finance department is also contemplating establishment of a tie-up with the insurance company, which is presently linked with the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Under the National Health Insurance Scheme, the state receives 75 per cent of the funds for the same from the central government, while it has to contribute the rest 25 per cent money. Now, the state government will have to bear the full expenses of the proposed state health insurance scheme.