Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman chaired a meeting to review the implementation of Insurance Scheme for Health workers fighting COVID 19  announced under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) through video conferencing. The meeting was attended by senior officials from Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and New India Assurance Company Limited.

A presentation was made by the Chairman & Managing Director of New India Assurance providing details about the highlight of the scheme and its status of implementation as on date.

Officials from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare provided an overview of the mechanism being followed with State nodal authorities to expedite the claims, also highlighting the issues being faced while reaching out to the family of deceased as well as obtaining the legal heir certificate. 

Of the 147 intimations received till date, claim documents have been submitted for 87, out of which 15 have been paid, 4 approved for payment while 13 are under examination. Further, a total of 55 claims have been found ineligible out of which 35 claims fall outside the scope of the cover like police personnel, municipal workers not related to hospitals, people from education, revenue departments, etc.  while another 20 claims submitted have the cause of death other than COVID-19 like cardiac arrest, etc.

 During the meeting , the Finance Minister  highlighted the importance for a speedy settlement and emphasized the need of the benefit reaching out to the nominees at the earliest.

Insurance scheme for health workers: expedite claim settlements so nominees promptly receive benefits under PMGKP. Review of the Insurance Scheme for Health workers fighting COVID 19 under PMGKP addressed implementation, claim processing, and expeditious benefit disbursal to nominees. Officials reported claim processing stages-submitted, paid, approved, and under examination-and identified ineligible claims either outside health worker coverage or where cause of death was not COVID 19. Coordination problems included contacting families and obtaining legal heir certificates. The Finance Minister stressed urgency in speeding settlements so nominees receive benefits promptly.