Karnataka government eyes to raise Rs 100 cr for Yeshaswini insurance scheme

Bangalore: Karnataka government today set a target to raise about Rs 100 crore from industries and corporates by May with an aim to expand the scope of the Yeshaswini health insurance scheme in the state.

Minister for Cooperation B J Puttaswamy told reporters after a meeting of the Yeshaswini Trust Board that a meeting of leading industries and corporates would be convened soon as part of this generation exercise.

There is a proposal that companies be asked to pay one per cent of their profits to the scheme and it would be discussed with Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, he said.

Puttaswamy said a contribution of five per cent from MPs and MLAs local area development scheme to Yeshaswini has also been mooted and he expected this proposed initiative to raise about Rs 15 crore.

About 800 surgical procedures are covered under the scheme. Today's meeting decided to include radiotherapy for cancer treatment, as well as "normal" implants in the price category of up to Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000, the Minister said.

As many as 29.46 lakh people are members of this self-funded contributory scheme, which cover their family also. Last year, 77,000 surgical procedures were conducted under the scheme.

The beneficiaries are offered cashless treatment subject to conditions of the scheme at the nearly 500 network hospitals spread across the state. To avail the benefit of Yeshasvini Scheme, a person should be a member of rural co-operative society of the state for a minimum period of six months.

For the current financial year, the member contribution is Rs 210. The scheme covers the entire state, particularly rural areas but excludes corporation and urban cities.

Meanwhile, Puttaswamy also said that there is a proposal to bring three schemes -- Yeshaswini, Rashtriya Bima Swasthya Yojana and Vajpayee Arogyashri -- under one roof.