New DelhI:
Beneficiaries of the Centre's flagship medical insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat will receive a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi informing them about its benefits.
Through the Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, the government aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually to more than 10 crore poor households.
The letters will also have the photograph of Modi, said a government official.
According to the official, the letter from the prime minister will mention that the beneficiary families will not have to suffer for getting treatment and that they can avail treatment or get procedures done up to Rs 5 lakh not only in government but also in private facilities.
The Modi government is all set to roll out the scheme on August 15.
So far, 25 states and Union Territories have signed agreements with the Health Ministry for implementing the scheme.
The Centre recently announced packages in its ambitious scheme under which treatment for coronary bypass, knee replacements and stents among others would be provided at 15-20 per cent cheaper rates than the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
Under the 205-page draft model tender document which was shared with the states last month, knee and hip replacements were fixed at Rs 9,000 each, stenting at Rs 40,000, coronary artery bypass grafting at Rs 1.10 lakh, caesarian delivery at Rs 9,000, vertebral angioplasty with single stent at Rs 50,000 and hysterectomy for cancer at Rs 50,000.
The National Health Agency (NHA), the apex body for implementation of the scheme, has also launched the formal process to empanel public and private hospitals to achieve universal health coverage.