CMHIS launched: Rs 16 cr released out of Rs 69 crore

The real test will be in how to effectively implement the scheme,’ says CM 

Morung Express News
Kohima | October 15

With the aim to alleviate financial hardships due to hospitalisation expenses and to prevent inaccessibility to medical care on account of unaffordability, the state government initiated Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) was launched today.

The insurance premium for the CMHIS stands at Rs 69 crore for the current year wherein Rs 16 crores was released today to the insurance company, it was informed. The Oriental Insurance Company Limited is the insurance partner for this scheme.

With this, CMHIS has become one of the first state-specific welfare schemes in the country wherein every citizen of the state is entitled to free and cashless treatment for various ailments. 

CMHIS is implemented in convergence with the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), and the converged scheme will be known as ‘AB PM-JAY CMHIS.’ The scheme endeavours to mitigate the risk of impoverishment resulting in hospitalisation expenses and promote access to quality health care services and accelerate state’s progress towards universal health coverage. 

Terming CMHIS launching as a ‘red letter’ day, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio however, said that ‘the real test will be in how we effectively implement the scheme.’ He asked the state health agency, Department of Health and Family Welfare and others to continue their work and see to it that the scheme is effectively implement by reaching out to all beneficiaries.

As almost every family would have experienced, any illness that requires hospitalisation results in substantial expenditure, Rio said, pointing out that many a time, such expenditure is not within the means of the family bringing extreme burden. 

“It is a known fact that many families are driven to poverty or suffer extreme hardship on account of this. I am sure that this scheme will prevent such hardships,” he maintained.

Accordingly, the Chief Minister appealed to all the beneficiaries – government servants, pensioners, legislators, villagers or town dwellers, to enrol themselves on the online Enrolment portal which is open now. 

He informed that beneficiaries can also avail the free assistance which will be provided during the next fortnight all over the state at designated locations for e-verification. All hospitals were also requested to immediately enrol on the online portal to provide services immediately.

Chief Secretary, Jan-e Alam said, “it is a historic occasion as nothing like this has been attempted in the state before and  a momentous occasion for all of us as we begin a new journey of providing insurance-based health care facilities to all citizens in Nagaland.”

Nonetheless, he also asserted that CMHIS can only be a success if all the stakeholders in the ecosystem, including the district administration, hospitals both public and private in the state, the insurance partner and the people implementing the scheme through the Nagaland Health Protection Society and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, work collaboratively and hand-in-hand to bring the benefit to all the citizens in the state.

While thanking the Chief Minister for this impactful decision, he expressed hope that the implementing machinery will leave no stone unturned to make that difference to people’s lives.

Understanding that a substantial section of the society are neither eligible for AB PM-JAY nor have family members who are government employees, Minister for Health, S Pangnyu Phom maintained that the government of the day is responsive to these concerns, and have come up with this scheme to reduce financial burdens knowing well that medical expenditure is a leading cause of impoverishment.

Acknowledging the masterminds, planners, initiators and active partakers at both the central and state government level for making CMHIS a reality, Phom was optimistic that the scheme would be an important stepping stone to achieve positive health and well being, and a driver of economic prosperity for the state of Nagaland.

The launching programme was held at the State Banquet hall, Chief Minister’s Residential complex. It was attended by Dr RS Sharma, CEO, NHA, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare through video conferencing and hosts of ministers, bureaucrats and others.

Release of policy document of the scheme, launching of state beneficiary portal, kick-off of beneficiary enrolment drive, distribution of Ayushman-CMHIS card and distribution of empanelment certificates to hospitals were part of the programme.

Meanwhile, Oking Hospital Kohima, CIHSR Dimapur, Olive Hospital Dimapur, District Hospital Mon and District Hospital Longleng were given the empanelment certificates.

No additional expenditure for CMHIS
Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner, Sentiyanger Imchen said no additional expenditure is being drawn out from the state ex-chequer for the implementation of CMHIS.

Briefing media persons at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat conference hall this afternoon after the launching programme, Imchen maintained that things have been carefully planned and leveraged for this scheme.

He also informed that about Rs 25-30 cr is being drawn out annually for medical reimbursement of the government employees. However, for this scheme, he said a minimum amount of Rs 400 is being deflected from the existing medical allowance of the government employees amounting to Rs 800.

The press conference was also addressed by Neiba Kronu, Minister; Dr Asangla Jamir, Secretary H&FW; Dr Kika Longkumer, Joint Director H&FW; and Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Principal Secretary to CM.

They have stated that under this scheme ‘no one will be left out’ and asserted that it should go to genuine beneficiaries of indigenous inhabitants of the state.

On empanelment of hospitals, it said that there is no restriction and that it wants all hospitals to be empanelled to provide health services to the citizens of the state.

Meanwhile with rumours floating that money is being charged for forms and submission of forms, Imchen asserted that the government is not charging any money for the same. He informed all concern that it all comes for free and no money should be paid for obtaining and submission of form.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/cmhis-launched-rs-16-cr-released-out-of-rs-69-crore