Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

16-December-2011 18:51 IST

The Universal Health Insurance Scheme (UHIS) launched by the Government of India w.e.f. 14.7.2003 is already in existence for persons and families below the poverty line with element of subsidy from the Government. In addition, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) was also rolled out from 1.4.2008 by the Government to provide the health insurance coverage for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The scheme has also been extended to unorganized sector workers such as MNREGA workers, street vendors, beedi & domestic workers, etc. However, the Planning Commission had constituted a High Level Expert Group(HLEG) on Universal Health Coverage(UHC) to, inter alia, develop a blue print and investment plan for achieving `Health for All by 2020’. The report of the HLEG has been submitted to the Planning Commission. The major recommendations of HLEG are on (i) health financing and financial protection; (ii) access to medicines, vaccines and technology; (iii) human resources for health; (iv) health service norms; (v) management and institutional reforms; (vi) community participation and citizen engagement; (vii) social determinants of health etc. The recommendations of the HLEG, as approved by the Government, would form part of 12th Five Year Plan of the Government.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in written reply to an Unstarred Question in Lok Sabha today.

DSM/Hb

Universal health coverage recommends integrating insurance schemes with financing, access, workforce and service-norm reforms. The Universal Health Insurance Scheme and the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana provide subsidised insurance coverage for BPL families and selected unorganised sector workers; a High Level Expert Group on Universal Health Coverage recommended reforms on health financing, access to medicines, human resources, service norms, governance, community engagement and social determinants, and the Government approved these recommendations for inclusion in the Twelfth Five Year Plan.