The premium on the health insurance plan launched for the State government staffers by the government is unaffordable and unjustified. For an insurance of one lakh rupees, the annual premium is rupees 9,735, which is very high for the lower grades employees, in particular for those who have retired.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar has demanded that the premium be reduced with immediate effect.Speaking about the health insurance of the government employees, Wadettiwar further said that medical insurance is essential to ensure good health care facilities to all.
The purpose of the Health Insurance Scheme launched for the employees of the State Government and retired officers is good but the premium to be paid is not affordable, in particular for the third and fourth class employees. There are currently 22 lakh government officials, employees in the State and the number of Class III and Class IV employees is high. Retired employees have also been forced into the scheme. Since the retirement benefits of these employees was less, it is difficult for them to pay this premium. He also claimed that the premium is higher than the premium of private insurers.
“The government should reduce the premium amount so that it will not put additional financial burden on them,†he said. At present, treatment up to rupees five lakh is free for economically weaker sections under Central government’s ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Also, State government’s Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jana Arogya Yojana provides free 90 treatments and surgeries, including general surgery, heart surgery and treatment, gastric and intestinal surgery and treatment, brain and nervous system surgery and treatment.
The government should also consider whether it can benefit the government employees by associating the health insurance plan with the Ayushman Bharat scheme, he said. It is pertinent to note here that he Maharashtra government had increased the coverage amount of its group insurance policy for its employees. However, to compensate this the monthly insurance premium too was increased.
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