By creator to www.dawn.com
PESHAWAR: The State Life Insurance coverage Company continues to droop and resume free well being providers on Sehat Card Plus, relying on the provision of funds.
Sources mentioned that the free remedy programme had been dealing with monetary points because the set up of the caretaker authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because the insurance coverage firm was not getting the specified quantity on month-to-month foundation. The programme was suspended and resumed a number of occasions throughout the previous few months owing to non-payment of dues to the insurance coverage firm by the federal government.
The insurer issued a notification to droop free well being providers on Might 9 and requested all of the empanelled hospitals to cease admitting sufferers on Sehat Card Plus. It mentioned that the suspension was on non permanent foundation and might be resumed when funds had been made accessible by the federal government.
The continuation of the programme was introduced until Might 11 when authorities agreed on paying Rs2 billion however a notification issued by the SLIC on Might 18 mentioned that the scheme would keep suspended from Might 22.
Govt has to pay Rs10 billion to clear all dues of insurance coverage agency
“The federal government has already transferred Rs1 billion to the insurance coverage firm that might be acquired on Monday after which the programme will get extension for a few days,” an official of SLIC instructed Daybreak.
SLIC has already suspended free dialysis and remedy of most cancers sufferers apart from provision of providers for intensive care, liver and renal transplants on SCP on Might 2 because the reserved fund has exhausted. The choice has affected greater than 11,000 sufferers with broken kidneys, who frequently acquired dialysis on SCP up to now.
The free remedy of two,000 most cancers sufferers has additionally been discontinued whereas the individuals requiring liver and renal transplants have additionally suffered owing to suspension of the scheme.
Sources mentioned that the reserved fund was meant to facilitate the sufferers whose remedy wanted greater than Rs400,000. Beneath the programme, every household of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was eligible to avail the remedy of Rs1 million per yr however the associated fee above Rs400, 000 was paid from reserved fund, they added.
As per settlement, the federal government has to pay Rs2 billion to the insurance coverage agency to maintain the programme afloat and guarantee availability of cash in reserved fund. Every time, the federal government transfers Rs2 billion to the insurer, a sure portion of the quantity is deposited in reserved fund. Nevertheless, because of lesser fee to the corporate in the course of the previous few months, the reserved fund has depleted and has come to zero steadiness.
Sources mentioned that the federal government needed to pay a complete of Rs10 billion to clear all dues of SLIC and let the programme sail easily. Nevertheless, it isn’t potential for the cash-strapped caretaker authorities. The insurance coverage agency will proceed to droop after which resume free providers until June 30 when finances might be introduced and the programme will get sizeable allocation.
They mentioned that the programme might have been discontinued way back however SLIC being a semi-government organisation was financially steady and wished to proceed the providers. They mentioned that there had been many ups and downs within the programme since its launch in 2016 however provision of free remedy providers to individuals of the province was by no means suspended earlier than the set up of the caretaker authorities.
Along with suspension of the programme repeatedly, many hospitals haven’t been doing sure procedures on SCP as a result of they demand revision of charges. “Many of the cardiac surgeons have been requesting the authorities to extend the charges as the price of implants has gone up in worldwide market because of devaluation of rupee towards greenback,” mentioned sources.
The programme covers 9.7 million households in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Thus far, Rs55 billion has been spent on the free remedy of two.three million sufferers. There are 1,139 empanelled hospitals, together with private and non-private, the place eligible individuals can search free remedy providers.
Revealed in Daybreak, Might 22nd, 2023
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