SHILLONG: The Health Department has said the government will call open tender for the ambitious health scheme, MHIS Phase IV after the recent talks with the insurance company to reduce the premium failed.
However, the government is yet to adopt a mechanism to provide health facilities without any interruption as people are the worst sufferers due to the temporary halt to the health scheme.
A health official said on Saturday since Bajaj Alliance had quoted higher premium to be paid by the government to carry on with the health scheme, the health department has expressed its inability to choose the insurance company.
“Now we will have to call fresh tender for the wider participation of the insurance companies,” the official added.
Bajaj Alliance, which was the lowest bidder, had quoted Rs 1,999 per household per year, whereas the previous rate for MHIS Phase III was Rs 911.
If the government approves the rate of Rs 1999, the financial burden will be Rs 117 crore annually.
Besides, the government is facing additional burden as it has merged the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health scheme with MHIS with a maximum coverage of Rs 5 lakh. While MHIS is a universal scheme, the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme is aimed at the poor.
The temporary halt to the MHIS scheme till December will affect patients as they will not be able to avail the benefits.
Though the implementation of MHIS-III ended on June 30, the scheme was extended up to September 25 and the patients will have to wait till December to avail the benefits of MHIS-IV.
However, the government has not brought any interim relief to the patients.
The Centre with a budget of Rs 65 crore annually, had fixed the premium at Rs 1,050 per family per year compared to Rs 1,999 quoted by Bajaj Alliance.
The health official added that the only option before the government is to reduce the cost of certain packages.
