Insurance cover for medical staff ends on Apr 24, new soon

| | New Delhi
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Insurance cover for medical staff ends on Apr 24, new soon

Tuesday, 20 April 2021 | PNS | New Delhi

Amid rising number of coronavirus cases requiring round-the-clock dedication of healthcare workers, including doctors, the Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme for them in case of death on duty is set to expire on April 24.

Saying that the Government is in talks with an insurance company, the Union Health Ministry said, “The new dispensation to provide cover to the Corona Warriors will be announced soon.”

However, the doctors and other healthcare workers are not amused. They said that the Government should have first worked out with the new scheme and then scrapped the existing one.

“At a time when doctors are working day and night, without caring about their own life and comforts, and motivation should have been a key word, the abrupt closure of the scheme does not instill confidence in the Government,” said a doctor from a public hospital.

According to the Ministry, the Garib Kalyan Package insurance policy claims of healthcare workers will continue to be settled till April 24, 2021 “thereafter a fresh insurance policy for Covid Warriors will become effective.”

Last month, the Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan had informed the States about the conclusion of the Package while only 287 claims have been processed so far.

The scheme was launched to provide a safety net for healthcare workers so as to ensure that in case of any adversity due to the coronavirus pandemic, their families are taken care of. However, a circular sent out by the Health Ministry last month states that the insurance scheme concluded on March 24, 2021.

“The PMGKP insurance scheme for the healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 was implemented with effect from 30 March 2020, initially for a period of 90 days to provide an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh to the healthcare workers fighting the pandemic, the duration of the scheme was extended up to 24 March 2021,” stated the letter.

Bhushan said that while the scheme has acted as a very effective safety net and has been able to provide relief to the healthcare workers who have lost their lives due to Covid-19, it had to be concluded on the same day”.

The letter states that 287 claims had so far been approved/paid by the insurance company under the scheme. However, according to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), at least 736 doctors have died due to the Covid-19 virus.

The health secretary’s letter said all the claims till March 24 midnight would be eligible for coverage under the scheme and one month’s window will be provided for the final submission of all the eligible claims to the insurance company along with the requisite supporting documents.

The scheme, announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26, 2020, was first implemented for 90 days and was later extended for a year. The scheme also covered workers in the private sector. The Union Government had announced the scheme as part of its Rs 1.7 lakh crore Covid-19 relief package last year.

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