MHIS-IV to be rolled out by December-end

Nearly 8 lakh families, including 3.41 lakh from the lowest income category, will get benefits under MHIS-IV, according to AL Hek, Health Minister, Meghalaya

Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS-IV), which is a modified version of the Centre’s ambitious Ayushman Bharat Yojana with additional benefits, will be rolled out by the end of December, said AL Hek, Health Minister, Meghalaya.

“MHIS-IV is expected to be launched before Christmas. It incorporates features of Ayushman Bharat Yojna with some additional benefits,” Hek said in Shillong.

The MHIS-III scheme ended on September 25 this year after two extensions. Nearly 8 lakh families, including 3.41 lakh from the lowest income category, will get benefits under MHIS-IV, Hek said.

Under the proposed MHIS-IV, beneficiaries can choose from 2,560 treatment packages, where as 1,300 packages are available under Ayushman Bharat Yojana.

The lowest bidder for implementation of the scheme in Meghalaya quoted ₹ 1,999 per household, the health minister said, adding that this would have resulted in an expenditure of ₹ 177 crore annually. The centre has fixed a ceiling of ₹ 1,050 per household which would have cost the state ₹ 65 crore.

The health minister said the negotiations with the lowest bidder failed and the state was compelled to float another tender.

“The re-tendering process will be completed at the earliest. We are set to launch the MHIS-IV before Christmas,” the health minister reiterated.

The state government paid a premium of ₹ 911 for each family under the MHISIII, while the lowest bid for MHISIV was ₹ 1,999, said Pravin Bakshi, Health Secretary, Meghalaya.

He said the state government is trying to re-negotiate and reduce the cost for certain packages in the scheme, like lowering the rate for admission in general ward fixed from ₹ 1,800 per day to ₹ 1,000.

Meghalaya has a NDA government headed by Conrad K Sangma of National People’s Party (NPP) in which BJP and some regional parties are partners.