(a) whether the Government of Andhra Pradesh has sought financial assitance
for their Rajiv Aarogyasri Scheme;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the action taken thereon?
(a) whether the Government of Andhra Pradesh has sought financial assitance
for their Rajiv Aarogyasri Scheme;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the action taken thereon?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY)
(a) to (c) : Yes. The State Govt. of Andhra Pradesh has submitted a proposal
to the Cabinet Secretariat for financial assistance of Rs. 307 crore for
implementation of the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Insurance Scheme (RAS) for the
benefit of BPL families.
In the last meeting of the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) held on
2nd November 2010, the issue was discussed wherein Planning Commission informed
that the Aarogyasri Scheme needs a comprehensive review and evaluation by an
independent organisation. CoS noted that Public Health Foundation of India
(PFHI) has initiated a critical assessment of existing Health Insurance Models
in India including RAS, and decided that the State Government may send a copy
of the study conducted by PHFI to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and
Planning Commission under intimation to the Cabinet Secretariat. The report
is still awaited.
This Ministry is of the view that since Aarogyasri Scheme deals with
tertiary care and is not in consonance with the objectives of National Rural
Health Mission (NRHM), which focuses on primary and secondary health care,
the funding would not be possible from the NRHM. However, this Ministry does
not have any objection to the scheme if the expenditure on it is met through
State Govt.’s own resources.