Mysuru: A pilot project is being implemented under the ‘Arogya Karnataka’ scheme in T. Narasipur taluk of Mysuru district to provide health benefits to Cooperative Society members. Earlier these members were provided health care under ‘Yeshasvini’ scheme. However, now including ‘Yeshasvini’ many other medical benefit schemes are subsumed under Arogya Karnataka scheme.

8,000 Health Cards

Nearly 8,000 Health Cards have been distributed under the Universal Health Protection Scheme in T. Narasipur taluk. This pilot project is being implemented in one taluk of each district in the State. Preparations are going on to expand it to all parts of the State.

The ‘Yeshasvini’ scheme which was beneficial in providing more than 800 types of treatment has now been subsumed under ‘Arogya Karnataka.’ Some of them are Vajpayee Arogyashree, Rajiv Arogya Bhagya (RAB), Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (Senior Citizens scheme), Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), Mukhyamantri Santwana Harish Yojana and Indira Suraksha Yojane.

‘Yeshasvini’ scheme which was implemented in 2003-04 through the Cooperative Department for the health benefit of the farmers was extended to urban areas in 2014-15. This scheme thus benefited all those working in Cooperative Societies and Cooperative Banks and their family members. Under this scheme the treatment limit for one member of one family was fixed at Rs.2 lakh.

‘Yeshasvini’ counter closed

‘Yeshasvini’ scheme came to a close on May 31, 2018. In the light of this, the ‘Yeshasvini’ counters at private hospitals were closed. In Mysuru district by July 2017, including JSS Hospital, Cauvery Hospital, Apollo Hospital, 41 private hospitals were registered under this scheme and treatment offered free of cost, which was being met by the State Government.

Now the ‘Yeshasvini’ scheme is subsumed under ‘Arogya Karnataka’ scheme.

Rs.89.23 crore cost

Nearly 1,88,812 people have made use of the services from the beginning of ‘Yeshasvini’  scheme till 2017-18 in different hospitals in Mysuru District and Rs.89.23 crore has been spent. Besides, Rs.37.85 crore has been collected from 26,60,956 members (2003-04 to 2017-18) of various Cooperative Societies.

Health Cards

By getting the ‘Arogya Karnataka’ health card several medical services can be availed. Two groups have been categorised under this scheme — the eligible patients who can avail medical facilities and the second, general patients.

Those who are living in Karnataka and those who according to ‘2013 National Food Security Act’ come under Below Poverty Line (BPL), will be treated as eligible patients and similarly those Above Poverty Line (APL) and those who do not have the eligibility card will be treated as general patients. The eligible patients will be provided cashless treatment in government hospitals and for those who come through recommendation also, cashless treatment will be provided in private hospitals registered under the scheme.

Methods to register for ‘Arogya Karnataka’

The Health Card registration will be done in Government hospitals. The health cards can be obtained by paying Rs.10. While visiting the hospitals this card must be carried. If the health card is lost then a duplicate can be obtained by paying Rs.20 after submitting the Aadhaar number and ration card. Five members of a family can utilise the facility up to Rs.1.50 lakh.

T   he State Government has subsumed all medical facilities under Arogya Karnataka. Already this scheme is successfully implemented in T. Narasipura taluk on a pilot basis. Only when a particular treatment is not available in the Government Hospital then based on the recommendation of government doctors can one avail the treatment in private hospitals registered under the scheme.

—Dr. Basavaraju, Mysuru District Health Officer

 

By. M.B. Pavan Murthy