Promoting Private Healthcare

The Rajasthan government’s Bhamashah Health Insurance Scheme claims to benefit over 1.10 crore families encompassing around 4.65 crore people in the state through a smart card-based cashless health cover. The state government has allocated Rs 370 crore for this on an annual basis and a memorandum of understanding has already been signed between the government and the New India Assurance Company. The scheme is expected to allow patients from lower income categories to obtain quality healthcare from private hospitals, which was otherwise out of their reach.

The Rajasthan government’s Bhamashah Health Insurance Scheme claims to benefit over 1.10 crore families encompassing around 4.65 crore people in the state through a smart card-based cashless health cover. The state government has allocated Rs 370 crore for this on an annual basis and a memorandum of understanding has already been signed between the government and the New India Assurance Company. The scheme is expected to allow patients from lower income categories to obtain quality healthcare from private hospitals, which was otherwise out of their reach. The government has plans to empanel more than 150 private hospitals from across the state to deliver medical services under this insurance scheme.

Will such a scheme benefit patients in Rajasthan, especially the families from the marginalised segments? Is it not an attempt to privatise healthcare by passing on patients to private health establishments instead of treating them in public hospitals by opening and strengthening existing facilities?