Kolkata: The Bengal govt on Monday rolled out Mukhya Mantri Swasthya Bima Yojana (MMSBY), a Rs 5-lakh health coverage for each family that CM Suvendu Adhikari promised earlier this month for those who do not qualify for the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme.A notification on the implementation of the scheme was sent during the day to several agencies and officials, including Kolkata Municipal Corporation, district magistrates, chief medical officers (health), CEO of the state health agency and chief secretary of the health and family welfare department. CM Suvendu Adhikari referred to the scheme while addressing a rally in Jalpaiguri on Monday.The scheme, the notification says, will provide health coverage to all permanent residents of Bengal who are covered by the Swasthya Sathi scheme but are not under Ayushman Bharat. It excludes persons with an annual family income of more than Rs 8 lakh, employees and pensioners covered under state/central govt health schemes, employees or pensioners of a range of state and central govt bodies and any other category that may be notified by the state govt.Individuals aged 70 years or more are excluded from the scheme as they are entitled to Ayushman Bharat. Those whose names were deleted from the electoral roll during the SIR are excluded, too. “Individuals having pending applications before any competent authority of CAA or SIR Adjudication Tribunal, however, will not be excluded provided they satisfy all other eligibility criteria,” reads the health department notification issued on July 25.The notification, which mentions nothing about the process of enrolment or when it will start, lists 14 “features of the scheme” and says the “definition of family” will be the same as the one followed by Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).The first feature says MMSBY will offer cashless coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family per annum on a floater basis. A beneficiary opting for out-of-the-pocket payment for treatment cannot claim reimbursement later. No one can avail of more than one health scheme of the state govt/central govt/parastatals/public sector undertakings. There is no cap on the family size and all pre-existing diseases are covered under the scheme.Aadhaar-based authentication is mandatory for enrolment, admission and discharge. Beneficiaries can avail of treatment at all AB PM-JAY-empanelled hospitals.Private hospitals, many of whom are still treating patients under the Swasthya Sathi scheme, welcomed the notification. The MMSBY will help include a large section of the population, who are not entitled to Ayushman Bharat, in state health coverage, said Rupak Barua, president of Association of Hospitals of Eastern India. “This is a major step towards an inclusive health scheme,” he said.“This comprehensive vision for healthcare is encouraging. It has the potential to take Bengal’s healthcare landscape to newer heights by expanding access to advanced medical facilities, strengthening delivery systems and ensuring quality treatment for every individual in need,” said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group adviser, BP Poddar Hospital.
