Govt To Keep A Rein On Health Card Scheme

Laura:

Provincial authorities plan to reduce treatment facilities under the health card scheme, including stopping gynecology services in private hospitals.

According to sources, the health authorities have submitted recommendations to the Punjab government in this regard.

According to sources, after the announcement of the state budget, related departments have started to change the health card policy to limit medical facilities to the poor.

The recommendations put forward in the first phase include the suspension of gynecological services with health cards at private hospitals from July.

A senior health official said the recommendations had been approved and would likely be implemented. He said that another decree would be implemented from next month.

Heart patients were also offered to pay 30 percent of the cost of treatment when using private hospitals, the sources said.

According to sources, after policy review, only those who earn less than Rs 65,000 will get free treatment in Punjab. The minimum monthly income for free treatment in a private hospital is 60,000 rubles.

In its annual budget, the Punjab government allocates Rs 15 billion for health card facilities, while Rs 111 billion is spent on treatment in public and private hospitals.

A spokesperson for the state health department told The Express Tribune that the Punjab government is providing uninterrupted services to the people through health cards. "We're trying to make it more beneficial to the poor."

According to him, the insurance authority wants to strictly control the medical services provided in this scheme.

Punjab Public Institution Health Card was launched under which free health care worth Rs 1 crore annually is provided in public and private hospitals in Punjab.

Now plans to close and downsize processing plants have sparked public concern.

“The health card is a great source of access to care facilities for the poor and needy and is also a successful initiative by the previous government to provide standard care facilities to the community.

But it came as a big surprise to the public because we now know that the government has reduced its odds for next month.

“Right now, when people are already suffering from poverty and rising prices, and now the suspension of medical facilities is a measure of suspension of health facilities for thousands of people in Punjab,” said government official Hanif Khan.

Express Tribune published on June 26 ^{, 2023} .

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