Body formed to monitor health insurance scheme

Authority will work under chairmanship of CM

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has decided to constitute a new authority to monitor the flagship health insurance programme of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), The Express Tribune learnt.

Draft legislation has been prepared for the constitution of the new Health Insurance Authority and will be sent to the Punjab Law Department for wetting soon. The authority will work under the chairmanship of Punjab chief minister and play a regulatory and supervisory role for smooth operations of the health insurance programme.

It will also scrutinise disbursements to public and private hospitals and medical institutes under the scheme and ensure transparency. Available data shows that so far over 15 million families have been enrolled and over 2.8 million hospital visits have been recorded under the health insurance program.

Official statistics indicate that 96% of beneficiaries expressed satisfaction with the treatment provided to them under the programme. Data highlights that 72% of beneficiaries also expressed satisfaction over hospital services, 97% satisfied with behaviour of hospital staff and 98% satisfied with behaviour of programme’s staff deployed at hospitals.

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It also points out that 97% of beneficiaries have indicated that they were not asked for payment of services during treatment. Speaking to media, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said the program will generate around 25,000 new jobs.

The programme will cover entire population of the province by March 2022. She advised citizens to get their credentials correct in the National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) record as people having no National Identity Card or incorrect information in the NADRA’s record would be able to avail health insurance facility under the program.

She also underlined that Form-B is mandatory for provision of health facility to children under 18. The government has also launched a mobile application, website and SMS service to check eligibility and details of available health facilities could be accessed conveniently.