TN govt urged to cover heart transplants in insurance

A representation has been made to the Tamil Nadu government to cover heart transplant surgeries in its Chief Minister's Insurance Scheme to benefit the common man, a top doctor said today.
Dr K R Balakrishnan, Director, Cardiac Sciences, Fortis Malar Hospital, said a representation has been made to the government and hoped the state would come forward to bring heart transplants under insurance cover like it had done for liver transplants.
He was speaking to reporters after the launch of the "Centre for Heart Failure and Transplant" at the hospital.
"Maybe in around 2-3 months, we expect the government will cover heart transplants in its insurance plan," he said.

Pointing out that heart transplant surgery is expensive in India at around Rs 10-15 lakh, he said the cost was still considered the lowest in the world. If the state government covered heart transplants in its insurance scheme, it would help indigent patients who need it.
Aditya Vij, Chairman, Fortis Malar Hospitals Limited, said the new facility was a "comprehensive centre for heart failure, heart transplant and artificial heart programme" that would benefit patients who would no longer have to seek treatment abroad for heart failure.