SHILLONG: Meghalaya Government has approved the fourth phase of Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS IV) in convergence with the Central Government scheme of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Mission.
Speaking to media persons after the cabinet meeting, Health and Family Welfare Minister, AL Hek said that now, the enhanced insurance cover of Rs 2. 80 lakhs under the phase II have been increased to Rs 5 lakhs and it also includes investigations and all kind of tests which a patients’ needs to undergo.
Under the phase IV, the State Government plans to insure a total of 8.8 lakh families in the state, adding this time, the scheme would cover all the members of a family and not like previous phase where only five members of a family were to be insured.
When asked if the Government would go for new enrollment for the phase, Hek said that the Government might not go for fresh enrollment since the new scheme covers the entire population.
It may be mentioned that Megha Health Insurance Scheme(MHIS) is a universal health insurance scheme to provide health insurance to all persons that are resident in the State excluding state and central government employees.
The Megha Health Insurance Scheme which was launched in 2012 has an objective to provide financial aid to all the citizens of the state at the time hospitalization and reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of the residents of the State.
Meanwhile, officials informed that as of now more claims worth more than Rs 70 crores have been made under the phase III of the scheme with more than 1 lakh patients taking advantage of the schemes for medical treatment.
It is learnt that 100 per cent hospitals in the state have been brought under the ambit of MHIS.