Odisha CM declares smart health card to sustain treatment cost

• Image Credit: Internet

• Aug 15, 2021 | moderator

Bhubaneswar: During Independence Day address at the Unit III Exhibition Ground on August 15, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced to the people to promise to raise the self-esteem and confidence of India and Odisha to new elevations.

Patnaik announced implementing Smart Health Cards to 3.5 crore people in the state. This card will be issued under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). 

He said that the move would lead to a distinct era in the state’s health sector.

He added, “Inhabitants of Odisha are my family. The story of people selling property, ornaments or prevent sending kids to school to achieve their treatment costs hurts me. Hence I concluded that this kind of suffering must stop. People should arrange hassle-free attribute treatment at the best possible health care tools. Therefore, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana was redesigned to give Smart Health Cards to individuals that will serve as debit tickets for a specific amount.”

The principal characteristics of this latest scheme are:

• Around 3.5 crore individuals of 96 lakh families will receive this Smart Health Card.
• Odisha will be the first state in the nation to implement such Smart Health Cards.
• This health card will be provided to all the recipients phase-wise;
• Recipients of National and State Food Security Schemes, Annapurna and Antodaya beneficiaries will receive this card.
• Each family can avail of treatment charges up to Rs 5 lakh per year. Women recipients can avail of this privilege up to Rs 10 lakh every year.
• The recipients can avail of health assistance in higher than 200 hospital series of the nation, including Odisha.

“It will go to a great extent in restoring health protection of people of Odisha,” CM Naveen stated.