The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday decided to provide free health insurance to all residents under J&K Universal Health Scheme.
Under the new scheme, around 1.25 crore people will get the same benefits provided under Ayshman Bharat PMJAY that covers 5.95 lakh families numbering 31 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the Universal Health Scheme, another 15 lakh families will be covered.
The beneficiaries of the scheme shall be entitled to free health insurance cover of Rs five lakh per family per year on floater basis and there is no restriction on family size, age or gender.
All pre-existing illnesses will be covered and cashless services will also be available in all the empanelled hospitals.
The beneficiaries shall have access to 20,853 (public and private) hospitals across the country and avail benefits with facility of inter-state portability.
In J&K, 159 (public and private) hospitals are empanelled at present.
It shall provide coverage to 1,469 medical and surgical packages/procedures including life consuming diseases, such as, cancer and kidney failure.
Treatment for oncology, cardiology and nephrology related illness will be covered from day one, including high-end diagnostic procedures during hospitalisation.
The beneficiaries shall also be eligible for coverage of 3 days pre-hospitalisation and 15 days post hospitalisation expenses.
The decision to provide free health insurance was taken at a meeting by the administrative council.
The scheme covers all employees, pensioners and their family members. The employees will continue to get Rs 300 per month as medical allowance to take care of OPD treatment.
Identification of the illegible families for getting registered for the Health Scheme will be made on the basis of socio-economic census 2011.
However, the families/persons that have been left out in the census can be enrolled on the basis of a defined process.
