Family medical insurance scheme launched in Goa

A universal medical insurance scheme, Deen Dayal Swasthya Seve Yojna (DDSSY) that would cover the entire population of Goa was launched with much fanfare on Monday. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar launched the scheme in the presence of chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, deputy chief minister and health minister Francis D'Souza, other ministers, BJP MLAs, top BJP functionaries and workers.

The scheme offers cashless hospitalization up to 2.5 lakh for a family up to 3 members and up to 4 lakh for a family of four or more members. An amount of 200 will be charged for a family of three or less as registration fees, while 300 will be charged for a family of four and above. Concession of 50% will be given for other backward classes, scheduled castes scheduled tribes and a differently-abled head of the family. Registrations will begin from next week and the scheme will be implemented from August 15 this year, said the defence minister.

The scheme will provide health insurance cover to around three lakh Goan families residing in the state for a minimum of five years, with the facility of 447 medical procedures at the major government hospitals in Goa as well as the empanelled hospitals/ nursing homes, in and outside the state. It will exclude 50,000 families, whose members are government employees. Launching the scheme, Parrikar termed it as first-of-its-kind in the country as it covers the entire population of the state. He added that it took long for the government to bring out the scheme, but care has been taken to ensure that it will not be misused. The BJP-led government has fulfilled 80 to 85 per cent of the assurances it had given to the state electorate, he added.

In addition to the hospitals in the state government and private hospitals outside the state would also be empanelled for the insurance scheme, said deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza. There will be DDSSY Kendras will be located in each of the state for registration and issuance of cards.