Swasthya Sathi: Bengal govt increases rates for 33 packages

Following requests from privatehospitals to revise rates of various treatments under theSwasthya Sathi health insurance scheme, the West Bengalgovernment has decided to enhance rates for at least 33packages, a senior official said on Tuesday.

While rates for treatment of cardiac-related problemswere raised by 25 per cent, those for general medicalconditions were increased by around 20 per cent, HealthSecretary NS Nigam said.

''The overall expenditure due to the revision will riseby 7-10 per cent,'' Nigam said.

The decision was taken at a virtual meeting in whichrepresentatives of private and state-run hospitals, healthdepartment officials and others took part.

Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and HomeSecretary HK Dwivedi also attended the meeting.

''We had a productive meeting. The state government hasagreed to enhance rates of packages by 15-20 per cent.

Although the percentage of increase is less than ourexpectation, we appreciate the state government's positiveapproach towards providing quality healthcare to the residentsof West Bengal,'' Group CEO, AMRI Hospitals, Rupak Barua, said.

He said that the private medical establishments stillhave concerns over the 20 per cent revision in rates formedical management, he said.

Months before the 2021 state polls, West Bengal chiefminister Mamata Banerjee in December last year expanded the'Swasthya Sathi' scheme to cover the entire population of thestate.

The scheme, which was initially launched in 2016, is abasic health cover for secondary and tertiary care up to Rs 5lakh per annum per family.