PANJIM: State government is considering increasing financial benefit under its ambitious health insurance scheme Deen Dayal Swastha Seva Yojana (DDSSY), in order to cover the maintenance and medicinal cost, post procedures such as transplant of kidney, liver and bone marrow.
While the kidney transplant facility is available in the State, bone marrow and liver transplant procedures are yet to kick off. Manipal Hospital Goa, is expected to take lead in bone marrow transplant, soon.
Speaking to media persons, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that government is considering to review its mediclaim scheme, for serious procedures such as kidney transplant, liver transplant, bone marrow transplant, blood cancer, to cover these illness in whole.
“Currently, we are paying something between Rs 8-10 lakh for the procedures and thereafter the maintenance and medicinal cost has to be borne by the patient,” he said.
“The post surgery treatment is also very expensive. We need to see, if the amount can be increased by another Rs two lakh, so that the maintenance cost is also reimbursed to certain extent,” Rane added.
However, Rane said that an income limit had to be fixed to decide on the beneficiaries. “We just cannot give the benefit to every patient. We will have to fix income limit, so that the benefit goes to only poor and not to the rich, who can afford it,” he maintained.
Minister said that the scheme is currently run through Third-Party Administrator (TPA) and hence there should not be any issue to modify the scheme.
“If Chief Minister agrees, we can place the proposal before cabinet and get it approved,” he said.
Rane informed that at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), the medication, post kidney transplant, is given free of cost.
Stating that Goa is lacking behind in bone marrow and liver transplant, Minister urged Manipal Hospital Goa to take up the challenge.
“I would request the hospital to immediately start bone marrow transplant facility, so that the people don’t have to travel out of Goa,” he said.
