Wednesday, September 26, 2007

TN To Launch New Health Insurance Scheme For State Govt Employees

Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to unveil a new health insurance scheme for its staff under which the assistance provided will be doubled from what the employees are able to get under the existing insurance scheme. The new scheme, while marginally increasing the monthly subscription the employees pay for the health insurance cover, will bring those employees receiving non-standard scales of pay and also employees of the local bodies, PSUs, statutory boards and state government universities under health insurance cover.

The Government has proposed to call competitive bidding for selection of the health insurance provider. Under the present Tamil Nadu Government Employees Health Fund Scheme providing coverage to the government employees and their family members, a monthly subscription of Rs 10 was collected and assistance to the extent of 75 per cent of the expenses or Rs 1 lakh whichever was less was granted to the eligible applicants. Employees also found it difficult to meet the cost of treatment themselves first before applying for reimbursement under the insurance scheme and in certain areas the employees/their dependents had to travel long distances for treatment due to lack of approved institutions nearby.

The existing insurance scheme also left out employees of PSUs, local bodies, state government universities and statutory boards and some major ailments were out of coverage. The State Government has now decided to implement a new health insurance scheme to provide for comprehensive healthcare assistance to the employees with a wider scope of coverage. It would be extended to employees of government departments including those drawing pay under non-standard scales of pay like noon- meal workers, village assistance etc and would also cover employees of local bodies, PSUs, statutory boards and state government universities.

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