Which is better: Aarogyasri or RSBY?

Following Table compares two schemes available to public for health insurance: one promoted by central government called RSBY and another offered only in AP by the State government. Senior Citizens Associations all over India have been urging the central government to offer Aarogyasri type of health insurance as it is better on many counts. See for yourself in this table.

Comparison between Rashtriya Bima Yojna [RSBY] & Rajeev Gandhi Aarogyasri Scheme

RSBY	Aarogyasri	Remarks Why Aarogyasri is better for senior citizens
23.4 lakh Smart cards (families) issued	2.3 crore families, 82%** population of AP covered . Figures for Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra not available
BPL families – five members only per family on floater basis covered	BPL families – no limit on number of persons in a family– floater basis	Very significant from Senior citizens point of view. Grand Parents can be left out in case of a family with 3 children
Pre existing diseases are covered	Pre existing diseases are covered
Coverage: Rs 30000	Coverage: 1.5 Lakhs; up to 2.00 lakhs in special cases	Coverage is ideal and decent
OPD not covered	OPD covered. Follow up for one year after a major surgery	No provision in RSBY
Only few medical procedures which can be conducted in Rs. 30,000/- covered	942 medical procedures are covered including all major surgeries eg Open Heart and cancer related surgeries	Major advantage in Aarogyasri
Financial burden on State is higher inspite of very low coverage being Rs 500/- 850/- per family	Financial burden on State is less being only Rs 532/- per family of 4	Major advantage in Aarogyasri
	The disease load is progressively coming down. Initially it was Rs 380 for 330 procedures, now it is 532/- for 942 procedures	It is coming down because of better inbuilt controls and elaborate pre-screening of population and also follow up for one year after hospitalisation. These steps are not included in RSBY
Some States prefer RSBY because Central Govt pays 75% of expenses	Entire expenses are borne by the State. No Central Government grant
Sr Citizens living alone are considered as a family unit	Sr Citizens living alone are considered as a family unit	Same in both cases
	Very robust IT infrastructure	Does not exist in RSBY

** Though Aarogyasri scheme is meant to provide Health Security to BPL category, yet 82% population is covered under it because of very liberal definition of BPL.

CONCESSIONS AND FACILITIES GIVEN TO SENIOR CITIZENS. Part 2

CONCESSIONS AND FACILITIES GIVEN TO SENIOR CITIZENS

M.V.Ruparelia

(as of May 2011)

Part 2

Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna, Jawahar Gram Samrudhi Yojna, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), Vrudhashrams, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna,

Rural Group Life Insurance Scheme-Arogya Raksha Yojna, . Private Charitable Hospitals etc

10. Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna: Introduced since April, 99, this scheme provides sustainable income to Rural Poor and BPL families. Under this scheme, credit-cum-subsidy is provided for self-employment, skill development etc. It covers all aspects of Self-Employment like organization of self help groups, training, credit technology, infrastructure & marketing. 4-5 Activities are earmarked for a particular Block with approval of Panchayat Samiti. This is financed in ratio of 75/25 by Centre & state.

11. Jawahar Gram Samrudhi Yojna: This is the restructured, streamlined & comprehensive version of erstwhile Jawahar Rozgar Yojna, designed to improve quality of life of rural BPL poor. Under this scheme, a demand driven community village infrastructure including durable assets at the village level are created to enable poor to increase the opportunities for sustained employment and generation of supplementary employments.

12.National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA): The MGNREG Act 2005 provides enhancement of livelihood security, giving atleast 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household, whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

13. Vrudhashrams: Many States have provided free Vrudhashrams for destitute BPL Senior Citizens with free food, sleeping arrangements, free medical facilities etc. For other Senior Citizens also, some Vrudhashrams with facilities of garden, library, TV, Indoor Games etc are provided by some States. In Maharashtra, Matoshri Vrudhashrams are provided and given to private parties/NGOs for management.

14. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna: Health Insurance cover is provided under this scheme to BPL workers in unorganized sector and their families (up to 5 members including dependent parents) to the extant of Rs.30000 p.a. The beneficiary has to pay only Rs. 30 p.a. as registration fees. Every State has to implement this scheme in a phased manner and cover all their districts by 2012-13. States have to approve Insurance Company/ies in each district and nominate proper Public/Private Hospitals having sufficient facilities as per guidelines. The insurance company shall enroll the beneficiaries. The scheme shall be financed by Central & State governments, as laid down. Smart cards shall be issued to each beneficiary house holds for cashless service in the nominated hospitals. The beneficiaries shall be eligible for coverage of financial costs of inpatient health care services as well as agreed day care procedures not requiring hospitalization, as decided by State Government with Insurance Company. Some basic exclusions are also kept.

15. Rural Group Life Insurance Scheme-Arogya Raksha Yojna: At the instance of Central Government, LIC has introduced this scheme to provide social security to Rural Families by way of life insurance from 15-8-95 for life cover of Rs 5000 for 2 types of policies. One-general- by full payment of premium by the Applicant and another-subsidized for BPL house holds-one policy for full family. Premium is subsidized by Central & State Governments on 50-50 basis.

16. Private Charitable Hospitals: As per provisions in Sec 41AA in The Bombay Public Trust Act,1950 and similar Acts elsewhere, Charity Commissioner has to instruct & ensure that all private charitable hospitals reserve & earmark 10% of total number of Operational Beds and 10% of the total capacity of patients treated at such hospitals for medical examination & treatment in each Department of the hospital for INDIGENT PATIENTS and are required to be given free treatment on par with paying patients and without any discrimination . They are also required to earmark 10% more in both operation & OPD for those belonging to weaker sections of the society seeking admission or treatment and are required to be treated at concessional rates. Indigent person means, whose total income does not exceed Rs 3600 p.a. and person belonging to weaker section means those, whose income does not exceed Rs 15000 p.a. Almost all Private Hospitals, are run by Charitable Trusts and are required to give this facility.

b) All senior Citizens including BPL are given the following concessions/facilities: (mentioned in Part 3.