Budget 2024: Is a Rs 10 lakh insurance the vitamin India's healthcare system needs?
Union Budget 2024 that is set to be presented on July 23, the Centre is mulling over the idea of doubling the beneficiary base under its flagship Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme over the next three years, with all those aged above 70 years to be brought under its ambit, to begin with, and also increase the insurance coverage to Rs 10 lakh per year.
These proposals or some parts of it are expected to be announced in the Union Budget.
In the interim Budget, the government increased the allocation for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to 12 crore families, to Rs 7,200 crore while Rs 646 crore was assigned for the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
The proposals, if given a go-ahead, would entail an additional expenditure of Rs 12,076 crore per annum for the exchequer as per estimates prepared by the National Health Authority, official sources told PTI.
IMA writes for higher fund allocation:
Union Budget 2024: Govt mulls doubling number of AB-PMJAY beneficiaries, insurance amount
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded increased allocation of financial resources in the budget, advocating a tax-based system of health financing.
In a letter addressed to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman, the medical body expressed worry over low spending by the government on health.
IMA said that allocations varying from 1.1 to 1.6 per
