Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday expanded the scope of flagship healthcare scheme Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). It will now be available to Odias living outside the State and also at all premier hospitals across India.
After reviewing the progress of BSKY, Chief Minister said that the income limit for cancer, heart and kidney treatment has been hiked from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
Patnaik said the beneficiary of the scheme can claim conveyance charge of 2000 per patient in case of referral outside State. This will be through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
“To provide healthcare to people of Odisha even outside the State, it has been decided that all State and Central Government Hopsitals outside the State are deemed to be empanelled under BSKY and the treatment cost will be paid to the beneficiary bank account. Further, all premier healthcare institutions across the country, including Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, CMC Vellore, Narayana Hrudalaya, etc have also been covered under BSKY,” said Patnaik.
To enable wide coverage of ailments, the State Government has also decided to include 4,036 medical packages under the BSKY against only 1,434 packages covered under the PMJAY, added Patnaik.
“Since August 15, 2018, over 1.1 crore patients have been benefitted from the cashless care under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. In order to benefit more families, the annual income limit for treatment of cancer, heart and kidney ailments has been increased from Rs 1 lakh per annum to Rs 3 lakh per annum,” said Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena after the review meeting.
Package rates have also been revised upward so as to attract more hospitals to be covered under this scheme, he added.
Chief Minister Patnaik has launched the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana on August 15 under which it will provide health assistance up to Rs 5 lakh to beneficiaries and Rs 7 lakh in case of women in a year.
