The Tamil Nadu government would soon call for tenders to choose an insurance partner for implementing its health insurance scheme.
The AIADMK, which came to power on May 16, had decided to replace the existing Kalaignar Insurance Scheme launched by the DMK. The new scheme proposes to increase the coverage by four times. In the previous scheme, each family was getting a benefit of Rs 1 lakh for four years.
Chief minister Jayalalithaa in a release said every year the coverage would be Rs 1 lakh and for a few disease it would be Rs 1.50 lakh. The number of disease covered under the new scheme would be increased to 950 from 642 covered under the previous one. Infant treatment and test, for five days, from the day the beneficiary is discharged would also be covered.
To increase the competence of government-run hospitals, the state has decided to pay the entire amount fixed for a treatment, similar to the private hospitals. It was also decided that a few treatments could be availed of only in government hospitals.
The new scheme proposes that beneficiaries could claim their medical expenses, referred by government hospitals or government-sponsored medical camps, for non-surgical treatments. The cost involved for post surgical treatment for specific diseases would be separately determined and given.
The DMK government, had in 2009, introduced the Kalaignar Insurance Scheme, which was being implement by Star Health and Allied Insurance Company (Star Health), promoted by Dubai-based ETA Group.
Syed Mohammed Salahuddin is promoter and director of Star Health and also owns the ETA Star Group. His son Ahmed Syed Salahuddin is on the board of Genex Exim, which is accused of being a front company of Etisalat DB in the 2G spectrum scam.