Health Ministry to handle insurance plan for poor

The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), the health insurance scheme for below poverty line workers in the unorganised sector, will no be longer be handled by the Labour Ministry.

With effect from April 1, 2015, the scheme will be implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. “In pursuance of a recent policy decision of the Government, the Labour and Employment Ministry is handing over the RSBY scheme to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with effect from April 1. The decision will come into force on as is, where is basis,’ the Labour Ministry said.

RSBY, launched in 2007-08, became fully operational from April 1, 2008, and provides for smart card-based cashless health insurance, including maternity benefit cover up to Rs.30,000 annually for a family of five.

The scheme benefited 3,85,15,411 families up to March 31, 2014, the Ministry said, adding that 10,311 hospitals are rendering services to the insured, of which 6,093 are private ones.

Both private and public sector insurance companies are participating in the scheme, for which Central funds of Rs.3,738.05 crore were released in the past six years.