Patnaik launches 3rd phase of Odisha’s health scheme, says will cover 90% people

Naveen Patnaik said over 1.10 crore families, covering nearly 90% of the population, will be provided health assurance under BSKY

Published on: Dec 29, 2023, 18:13:55 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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BHUBANESWAR: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday launched the third phase of the state’s flagship health scheme - Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) which will now cover about 90% of the state’s population.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said the BSKY will ensure that no family in Odisha is left vulnerable (X/Naveen_Odisha)

The scheme first launched more than five years ago, initially covered only people below the poverty line who could get cashless medical treatment up to ₹5 lakh at empanelled private hospitals. In the third phase, it has been extended to the entire population except government employees and income tax payees.

“With this third phase of expansion, it is estimated that over 1.10 crore families, covering nearly 90% of the population of the state, will be provided health assurance under BSKY. This will ensure that no family in Odisha is left vulnerable due to a lack of financial resources to meet high expenditure for critical illnesses; thus fulfilling the promise of universal health coverage for the people of Odisha. “Sustha Odisha, Sukhi Odisha” (Healthy Odisha, Happy Odisha) has been the driving force behind all interventions in the health sector in Odisha. It has been my dream to provide universal health coverage to the people of Odisha, where healthcare is a right; accessible and affordable by all,” Patnaik said while launching the new ‘BSKY Nabin Card’ for the beneficiaries.

When BSKY was announced on August 15, 2018, poor farmers, those with BPL Card, Antoday Anna Yojana Card or an annual income of ₹50,000/- in rural areas and Rs. 60,000/- in urban areas were given the BSKY card that could be used to avail treatment at over 200 empanelled private hospitals for a maximum of ₹5 lakh per family and an additional Rs.5 lakh for the women members of the family.

According to the government, 7 million families have been covered under BSKY.

Every month, over 4.5 million people receive free treatment at public health facilities, while 130,000 people receive cashless care at private hospitals. In the past five years, BSKY has ensured cashless treatment to 2.1 million patients at private hospitals.

To be sure, a study in June this year found that an estimated 87% of beneficiaries had to incur some out-of-pocket expenditure even after availing of the benefits under the scheme.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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