New Delhi2 minutes ago
In the notice, the Commission has also mentioned some other problems faced by senior citizen beneficiaries in the scheme.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued a notice to the Central and Karnataka governments in a case related to the Ayushman Bharat scheme. NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report.
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, a state government hospital in Bengaluru, had refused to provide cover of Rs 5 lakh under the Ayushman scheme to a 72-year-old man. After this, the elderly man committed suicide on December 25, 2024.
In this matter, NHRC has issued notice to the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Chief Secretary of the Government of Karnataka, seeking a report within four weeks.
In the notice, the Commission has also mentioned some other problems faced by senior citizen beneficiaries in the scheme. The Commission said that if senior citizens are not getting the benefits of the scheme made for them, it could be a violation of the right to health, which is necessary to live a life with dignity.
The scheme for 70+ year olds was started in October 2024 The Central Government had announced to provide the benefits of Ayushman Bharat Scheme to all people aged 70 years and above from October 29, 2024. There were no conditions for free treatment in this scheme. No elderly person can be excluded from the scope of this scheme on the basis of income, pension, bank balance, land or chronic diseases.
While launching the scheme, the government had said that 6 crore senior citizens will get the benefit of this scheme. About 4.5 crore families of the country will be included in this. BJP had made this promise in its manifesto for Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, more than 34 crore people were getting its benefits.
The Center started the scheme in 2017 Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest insurance scheme, which provides free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh every year to the poorest 40 percent of the country. Under the National Health Policy, the Central Government started this scheme in the year 2017. However, many states including West Bengal are refusing to accept this scheme and are running their own schemes in the state.
Under this scheme, treatment can be done in selected government and private hospitals across the country. There is also a provision for payment of expenses before and after 10 days of admission under this scheme. Read the full news…
All diseases are covered in this scheme Chronic diseases are also covered in the plan. Expenses before and after hospitalization for any illness are covered. Expenses on transport are covered in this. Things like all medical tests, operations, treatment etc. are included in this. So far, more than 5.5 crore people have got their treatment under this scheme.
