World's largest healthcare program for 50 crore poorest citizens: Health Plan in 2018 Budget towards universal health coverage.
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'World's Largest Healthcare Program for 50 Crore Poorest Citizens: Health Plan in 2018 Budget Towards Universal Health Coverage in India'
It’s great news for India that all Indians will be covered under a national health protection scheme. Today Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley announced 2 big initiatives in 2018 Union Budget under the Ayushman Bharat Programme (ABP). He announced a new flagship National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS). The scheme will provide a health insurance cover of amount 5 lakhs INR a family per year. This scheme will cover more than 10 crore vulnerable families, which is covering more than 50 crore beneficiaries.
This year’s budget actually surprised everyone. People were looking for personal gain in this budget but as per the announcement this year’s budget focused on only agriculture and health. Remaining changes are minimized and personal income tax slabs remain unchanged.
Currently India spends approximately 1 % of its GDP on public healthcare but now they are planning to increase it to 2.5 % by 2025. Currently Indian government provides Rs. 30,000 only toward healthcare for poor families, but it is known to everyone that this much amount insufficient to cover most medical procedures.
According to Mr. Jaitley, his government is steadily progressing towards a goal of universal health coverage. This program will take public healthcare to a new aspiration level in the world's largest democracy which will be the largest health plan ever in the world. Arun Jaitley said this initiative will help India's most vulnerable families to access up to Rs. 5 lakh per annum for hospital cover.
As per the budget announcement, the creation of new health and wellness centers everywhere will also be focused in this year. This prioritization will “bring healthcare closer to home”. According to Mr. Jaitley total 1.5 lakh health and wellness centers will be established. These centers will provide free essential medicines, diagnostic and lab services. Total Rs. 1200 crore have been allocated for this. He also said that it will take some time to roll out and implement the scheme.
It has been also cleared in the budget that all responsibilities are not on the shoulder of central government; states will have to bear a part of the financial burden. Officials indicated that they decided to do this to extend this largest health cover in further broader term. According to finance secretary, Mr. Hasmukh Adhia “It will have a 60:40 ratio with states and it will combine with existing scheme of states. Only with this term we can go for an insurance model or trust modek”
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Mr Hasmukh also said that it will take almost 6 months to roll out the scheme and work out the details. Although it has been decided that 10 crore families will be covered under the scheme but in the first year it will not be possible to cover the total 10 crore number Mr. A N Jha promised that total2000 crores have been provided which was a token amount in the new budget. More money will be made available later. Mr. Jha, heads the ministry's expenditure department.
