HP to replace Himcare with new ₹10 lakh health insurance scheme

Proposed scheme will double the existing ₹5 lakh cover, with Birla Sun Life emerging as the lowest bidder

The Himachal Pradesh government is all set to introduce a new health insurance scheme offering coverage of up to ₹10 lakh per family, replacing the existing Himcare scheme which provides ₹5 lakh cover.

The government has proposed a payment of ₹4,200 per family to the insurance company, while also considering a higher premium for families that can afford to pay more. The government intends to spend approximately ₹420 crore annually on this scheme.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, principal media adviser to chief minister Naresh Chauhan said eight insurance companies had participated in the tendering process for the proposed scheme.

“This new scheme is being launched with the objective of providing better healthcare facilities to people. The tender process has been completed, and the contract has been awarded to Birla Sun Life, which emerged as the L-1 bidder. To ensure that beneficiaries do not face any difficulties, the government will establish a grievance redressal centre,” he said.

Chauhan said the new model had been designed after the state government received several complaints of alleged corruption and misuse of funds under the Himcare scheme.

“People living below the poverty line and those covered under other eligible welfare schemes will benefit from the proposed scheme. Its coverage will be enhanced from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh per family, while the range of eligible beneficiaries will also be expanded,” Chauhan said.

Beneficiaries will get new cards

Once the new system is implemented, existing HimCare cards will no longer be valid. However, beneficiaries whose cards are currently valid will continue to receive benefits under the old scheme until the end of their card’s expiry, he said.

The government has proposed a payment of ₹4,200 per family to the insurance company, while also considering a higher premium for families that can afford to pay more. The government intends to spend approximately ₹420 crore annually on this scheme.

A final decision has not yet been reached regarding the annual premium that beneficiaries will be required to pay to obtain a card under the new health insurance scheme, Chauhan said.

This new scheme is being introduced in line with an announcement made by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the legislative assembly.

Under the new arrangement, the insurance cards will initially be valid only in those government hospitals that already provide free treatment under the ‘Himcare’ scheme. Additionally, private healthcare institutions that offer dialysis services have been included in the scheme. Other services offered by private hospitals have, however, been kept outside its ambit for now. The government will make a separate decision regarding their inclusion in the future, he said.

The operational infrastructure previously established in hospitals for the Himcare scheme will now be managed by Aditya Birla Insurance, Chauhan said.

Govt should refrain from tinkering with ‘HimCare’ scheme: LoP

Leader of the opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, on Thursday, asked chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to desist from maligning Himcare and misleading the public.

Objecting to the chief minister’s remarks, Thakur emphasised that the ‘Himcare’ health scheme proved to be a boon for the people of the state. “Chief minister Sukhu made strenuous efforts to shut down the scheme and withhold its budget, but was prevented from doing so due to opposition. The CM should apologise to the families of those who lost their loved ones because the government effectively stifled this programme,” he alleged.