The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee on November 26, 2020, decided to expand the ‘Swasthya Sathi’ health scheme in order to cover the entire population of the state.
While drawing parallels with centre’s Ayushman Bharat health scheme which is being run on a 60:40 ratio, she highlighted that ‘Swasthya Sathi’ will entirely be funded by the government of West Bengal. Chief Minister also informed that the decision of expanding the health scheme will be applicable from December 1, 2020.
Earlier, the government had decided to enroll at least 7.5 crore people under the scheme but with the latest announcement, every family in West Bengal, be it a child or an old woman and an old man, irrespective of their religious identity will be included under Swasthya Sathi scheme.
About Swasthya Sathi Health Scheme:
Swasthya Sathi is a health scheme which was officially launched by the West Bengal government in December 2016. The scheme is basically a health cover for the secondary and tertiary care of up to Rs. 5 lakh per annum per family.
What will happen with the expansion of the scheme?
• The state government has informed that the health cards will be issued to the women guardian of every family in the state. The cards will be distributed from December 1, 2020.
• Every family in West Bengal will use the health cards in order to avail the benefits of the health scheme under which all the private hospitals, as well as state-run hospitals, have been roped in.
• The families will be enrolled in the health scheme once the representatives of the government will start visiting every household under the ‘West Bengal government at your doorstep’ scheme.
• Anyone in the state who has not been enrolled in any other health scheme will be able to avail of the benefits of this health card. It will help people in getting cashless treatment at the hospital.
• The state government will also have to bear an annual expense of Rs. 2,000 crores for Swasthya Sathi health scheme.
Demand to provide 100% of Ayushman Bharat Scheme:
While informing about the expansion of the ‘Swasthya Sathi’ Scheme, West Bengal CM noted that the central government gives only 60 percent of the Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme. She added that if the citizens will need to pay 2.5 lakh for a scheme of Rs. 5 lakh, they why they will opt for it.
She further highlighted that if the central government wants to pay 100% of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme then she will definitely welcome the scheme in the state.
Earlier in January 2019, the West Bengal government under Mamata Banerjee had withdrawn from the Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme on the basis that the centre will be paying only 60% of the scheme while the rest of the 40% will be paid by the common people.
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