States 'keen' to adopt trust-based insurance scheme

New Delhi: Doubts over the selection of a model for rolling out the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) may be cleared on Friday when the two-day strategic meeting of all stakeholders would come to an end.

According to sources, out of the two options --- trust-based insurance model and insurance through private companies --- most of the states have shown their interest in adopting trust-based insurance model for their residents.

"All the stakeholders have divided into six different groups to prepare their plans for the final discussion on Friday. On the day-one, participants expressed their interest in adopting the scheme. Representatives of all the states and Union Territories attended the meet," the sources said, adding that representative of West Bengal government was also present in the meeting.

"Given that trust-based model is successfully operational in Karnataka, some states were keen to understand the nitty-gritty of the scheme for replicating the same in their home states," the sources said, adding that in comparison to providing insurance through private companies, the trust-model is most worthful as chances of foul play in the later model is less.

Explaining about the six working groups constituted to explore the possibilities of NHPS implementation, the sources said, "The groups comprise of state health secretaries, nodal officers of insurance schemes in states, mission directors, officials from Niti Aayog, etc. All the group members have been tasked to prepare the different strategies for rolling out the scheme with the objective of providing better healthcare to poor and needy one."

"It's the states that have to take the call to implement the scheme. The Centre is ready to provide whatever fund they (states) need," the sources said, adding that some states were also of the view that it (NHPS) may be launched through co-operative of farmers.

According to sources, states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, etc have raised their concern regarding the unavailability of public as well private hospitals in their regions, which may defeat the purpose of insurance facility.

Under the trusts-based insurance plan, the trusts act as the main gatekeeper for processing and settling claims of hospitals that treat the scheme's beneficiaries. Andhra Pradesh's Arogyasri scheme and Karnataka's Yeshasvini's programme serve as a proof for the trust-driven group health protection model.