Diary Times News Service
Shimla, August 08: The health insurance scheme Himcare Yojana in Himachal Pradesh will continue despite concerns raised by the opposition, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri confirmed. However, he stressed that important reforms are being made to remove existing loopholes and ensure the financial integrity of the scheme.
Speaking at the first meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee set up to look into anomalies in the Himcare scheme and the Centre-aided Ayushman Bharat scheme, Agnihotri rejected Opposition claims that the present government intends to shut down Himcare. “There is no intention to shut down the Himcare scheme, but the scheme, launched during the previous BJP government, has several flaws, especially in the reimbursement process, which should be addressed,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted that several anomalies have come to light, with the claim amounts often being far higher than the actual treatment costs. These issues have raised concerns about potential financial mismanagement within the scheme. The sub-committee, which comprises Health Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and Youth Services and Sports Minister Yadvinder Goma, has been tasked with reviewing these issues and implementing strict rules to prevent further theft.
Agnihotri also pointed out that the state currently has a financial burden of Rs 457 crore under the Himcare scheme. This includes Rs 150 crore to private hospitals and Rs 307 crore to government hospitals. The proposed reforms aim to reduce these financial pressures by ensuring more accurate and transparent billing practices.
Apart from the reforms planned for Himcare, the sub-committee discussed the need to expand the coverage of the Ayushman Bharat scheme to include the entire population of Himachal Pradesh. Currently, only 5.32 lakh families are covered under this central scheme, while 14.83 lakh families are left out. Agnihotri expressed concern over this limitation and announced that the state government would approach Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda to advocate for inclusion of the remaining families.
Besides, Agnihotri pointed to the financial constraints imposed by Ayushman Bharat’s fixed funding model. The state gets Rs 50 crore annually from the Centre, which has been exhausted in the first six months of the financial year itself. The cost is expected to exceed Rs 100 crore by the end of the year, so the additional financial burden will fall on the state government.
“We are committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to all residents of Himachal Pradesh,” Agnihotri said. “However, the Centre’s financial support is inadequate, and we will urge an increase in funding to ensure that the Ayushman Bharat scheme can meet the needs of our population.”
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