Himachal’s New Insurance Scheme: Double the Cover, ₹10 Lakh Per Family
Himachal Insurance brings expanded health coverage for residents, with the state government increasing the per-family insurance benefit to ₹10 lakh.
Himachal Insurance scheme doubles the existing health cover, providing families with financial protection of up to ₹10 lakh under the new initiative.
NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh government is set to replace the Himcare scheme with a new health insurance plan that covers up to ₹10 lakh per family, double the current ₹5 lakh limit. Principal media adviser to the chief minister, Naresh Chauhan, announced the move on Thursday. He said the state has finished the tendering process and awarded the contract to Birla Sun Life, which emerged as the lowest bidder among eight companies that took part.
Himachal Insurance: Why the State Is Moving Away From Himcare
Chauhan said the new model was designed after the government received complaints of alleged corruption and misuse of funds under Himcare. He added that the insurance-based model is meant to curb irregularities and ensure that public money is used properly. The change follows months of groundwork.
In June, the state cabinet approved shifting Himcare to an insurance-based model. In August, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reviewed the plan at a health department meeting and said it would bring nearly 10 lakh families under its cover at a low premium. To protect beneficiaries from hassle, the government will also set up a grievance redressal centre.
Himachal Insurance: Coverage, Cost and Eligibility
Families below the poverty line and those covered under other eligible welfare schemes will benefit, and the pool of eligible beneficiaries will be widened. The government has proposed paying the insurance company ₹4,200 per family. It is also considering a higher premium for families that can afford to pay more. The state expects to spend about ₹420 crore a year on the scheme. The annual amount beneficiaries must pay to get a card has not been decided yet.
Under the new arrangement, the cards will initially work only at government hospitals that already provide free treatment under Himcare. Private healthcare institutions that offer dialysis have been added, but other private hospital services are outside the scheme for now. The government will take a separate decision on including them in the future. The infrastructure set up in hospitals for Himcare will now be run by the insurance company.
Himachal Insurance: What Happens to Existing Himcare Cardholders
Once the new system starts, current Himcare cards will stop being valid, and beneficiaries will receive new ones. People whose cards are still valid will keep getting benefits under the old scheme until their cards expire, so nobody loses cover midway.
Himachal Insurance: Opposition Pushback
Leader of the opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur has criticised the move. He asked Sukhu to stop maligning Himcare and misleading the public, and argued that the scheme has been a boon for the state’s people. He alleged that the chief minister tried to shut the scheme down and withhold its budget but was stopped by opposition pressure. He also demanded an apology to the families of those who died as a result, claiming the government effectively stifled the programme.
Key details, including the card premium and the inclusion of more private hospitals, are still to be finalised and will decide how much the new scheme helps families in practice.
