Implement Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka health insurance: CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah directed the health department to implement the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka health insurance immediately which he said is currently only in “assurance mode”.

He said only beneficiaries have been enrolled and there are no details on what empanelled hospitals will cover for which treatment.

At a review meeting of the department, Siddaramaiah said officials must study the Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan models of the scheme.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah was critical of the department’s efforts to modernise government hospitals under the National Health Mission (NHM) and questioned whether they in-tended to drive patients away to private hospitals. “Do you want patients in government hospitals or not?” he asked.

He directed officials to ensure MRI machines and dialysis units are installed in all taluk and district hospital in the state and asked senior officials to immediately recruit lab technicians and paramedical staff. He also directed the finance department to provide the necessary requirements.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah was briefed that under the NHM, there is a 52 per cent shortage of specialised doctors, a 31 per cent shortage of MBBS doctors, and an 18 per cent shortage of nurses. To this, Siddaramaiah said the department should consider increasing their remunerations and take a decision to fill these vacant posts.