FEATURES OF NEW HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME EXPLAINED

Tuticorin: The district administration conducted an awareness programme at the Treasury here on Wednesday to highlight the salient features of the ‘New Health Insurance Scheme’ (NHIS) introduced by the State Government last month.

The scheme is being implemented under the control of Director of Treasuries and Accounts. Addressing government officials, D. Ganesan, District Treasury Officer, said that the scheme, which replaced the Tamil Nadu Government Employees’ Health Fund Scheme, offers wider coverage extending health insurance to employees of all departments, local bodies, public sector undertakings, statutory boards and state universities, and their families.

“About 21,000 employees and their families in the district are being benefited by the scheme,” he added. The family members of the employees entitled to the coverage include spouse, children till they got employed, married or attained 25 years, whichever was the earliest, and parents if the employee was unmarried.

“The new package provides cashless assistance at an affordable premium of Rs.25 a month, which is being deducted from the employees’ salary, instead of the reimbursement model followed under the earlier scheme,” Mr. Ganesan said.

The insurance company identified to provide the coverage (Star Health and Allied Insurance Company) would reimburse the medical expenses up to Rs.2 lakh for a family for a block of four years, directly to the ‘approved hospitals’ identified for the scheme.

In the district, Sundaram Arulraj Hospital, K. J. Nursing Home, Rajam Nursing Home (all in Tuticorin town), and Aarthy Hospital, Venkateswara Hospital (both in Kovilpatti), would provide medical assistance.

The insurance company would issue identity cards to all the employees carrying details about them and their family members before August 31, to help them display their identification while availing treatment at the said hospitals.

Mr. Ganesan said that cost of medicines of laparoscopic, cardiac and emergency life saving surgeries, doctor fees, room charges, diagnostic charges and dietary charges, incurred at the ‘approved hospitals’, would be reimbursed. The District Public Relations Officer, S.R. Sarathy, was present.

Source: The Hindu