The Assam government has expanded the scope of its ambitious healthcare insurance scheme, Atal Amrit Abhiyan, to cover six more categories including Japanese Encephalitis, trauma and ICU care, state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.
Vistarita Atal Amrit Abhiyan, expanded form of the cashless health insurance scheme for below poverty line (BPL) households and families with annual income of Rs five lakh or less, was approved by the state cabinet on October 21, he said.
ICU packages for all diseases, trauma due to accidents and pediatric critical care and pediatric surgery up to 14 years of age have been included, he said adding that bone marrow transplantation, Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome would also be covered under the programme.
During implementation of the scheme, since its inception in April, 2018, it was found that there "was a need to bring in more disease groups" for the benefits of patients, the minister said.
The cashless scheme has been covering several diseases under six broad categories- cardiology and cardiovascular surgeries, neurological conditions, burns, cancer, kidney and neo-natal ailments.
Over 60,000 patients, nearly half of them suffering from cancer, have benefited from the programme so far and all the beneficiaries, enrolled under the scheme, would automatically be eligible for the expanded one, Sarma said.
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Within 18 months from its launch, 1.6 crore people have been covered and patients under the Atal Amrit Abhiyan would be eligible for availing the cashless benefit up to Rs two lakh annually.
There are 27,426 cancer patients, over 20,000 kidney and 6,400 cardiac patients, who have so far received treatments under the scheme, he said.
The insurance coverage benefit was provided at an expenditure of Rs 140 crore, the minister added.