Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY)

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Labour and Employment

Year of launch: Launched in October 2007, operational since April, 2008

Budget: The Union Budget 2012-13 allocated Rs 1096.7 crore for the scheme

Progress: Under the scheme more than 3.21 crore smart cards have been issued under as on July 2012

Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) aims to provide health insurance coverage for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The beneficiary is any Below Poverty Line (BPL) family, whose information is included in the district BPL list prepared by the State government. The eligible family needs to come to the enrollment station, and the identity of the household head needs to be confirmed by the authorized official.

The Ministry of Labour & Employment has extended the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) to domestic workers as well as MGNREGA beneficiaries. This scheme will also cover people who work in unorganized sectors in hazardous conditions. It has also been extended to licensed porters, licensed vendors and licensed hawkers on the Railways in consultation with Ministry of Labour & Employment.

Objectives

• To provide protection to BPL households from financial liabilities arising out of health shocks those involve hospitalization.

Salient Features

• Beneficiaries under RSBY are entitled to hospitalization coverage up to Rs. 30,000/- for most of the diseases that require hospitalization.
• Government has fixed the package rates for the hospitals for a large number of interventions.
• Pre-existing conditions are covered from day one and there is no age limit.
• Coverage extends to five members of the family which includes the head of household, spouse and up to three dependents.
• Beneficiaries need to pay only Rs 30/- as registration fee while Central and State Government pays the premium to the insurer selected by the State Government on the basis of a competitive bidding.
• The premium for RSBY is different in different set of districts
• Government pays the premium for RSBY.
• Contribution by Government of India: 75% of the estimated annual premium of Rs.750, subject to a maximum of Rs. 565 per family per annum.
• Central Government to pay 90% in case of Jammu & Kashmir and North east States
• State Government pays the remaining premium