Odisha Govt launches third phase of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, 90 percent of population to get benefit

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government launched the third phase of the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) in which all families of rural areas of the state who were not covered under the first two phases of the scheme, will be assured of cashless care in private hospitals for critical ailments.

With this third phase of expansion, it is estimated that around 90 per cent of the population of the state will be provided health assurance under the BSKY.

"We are now launching the third phase of BSKY, where all left out families of rural areas of our State will be assured of cashless care in private hospitals, for critical ailments. In this phase of expansion, all rural families of Odisha (except regular government employees and income tax payees), who are presently not covered under BSKY, will be eligible to receive the "BSKY Nabin Card," Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Friday.

"Sustha Odisha, Sukhi Odisha" has been the driving force behind all interventions in the health sector in Odisha, the Chief Minister said adding that it has been his dream to provide universal health coverage to the people of Odisha.

To take this vision forward, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana was launched 5 years ago bringing about a revolution in providing health assurance to the people of Odisha, he said.

BSKY coverage is being expanded phase-wise, to provide comprehensive health protection to the entire population of our State, the Chief Minister said adding that in the first phase of its implementation, all services in public health facilities were made free of cost for all persons, irrespective of income or residence.

In the second phase, BSKY provided cashless healthcare in private health facilities for all ration card holders, he said.

Under BSKY, every month over 45 lakh persons receive free health care at public health facilities in the state, while 1.3 lakh persons receive cashless care, the Chief Minister said, adding that this amounts to Rs 260 crores each month in empaneled private hospitals.

"In the past five years, BSKY has provided nearly 21 lakh patients with cashless healthcare worth about Rs 4,500 crore in private hospitals alone," Patnaik said.

"It has thus become a unique model for universal health coverage, leveraging the strengths of both the public and private sectors to provide comprehensive health assurance to the people of Odisha," he added.

The Chief Minister said that the third phase of expansion of the BSKY will ensure that no family in the state is left vulnerable due to lack of financial resources to meet high expenditure for critical illnesses; thus fulfilling the promise of universal health coverage for the people of Odisha.