After a second review of the functioning of the Punjab Cancer Rahat Kosh Scheme, at least two more hospitals are to be removed from the list of approved hospitals because of deficient services.

The scheme will now cover rickshaw pullers, rag-pickers, mine workers, sanitation workers, autorickshaw drivers and taxi drivers. It would have Rs 210-crore financial implication for 2013-14 and Rs 419.89 crore from next financial year onwards, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said at a briefing after the Cabinet meeting. Around 3.4 crore smart cards had been issued for the Rs 30,000 per annum cashless health insurance cover for BPL families under the scheme launched in 2008.

Of the total amount, Rs 3,500 cr will be disbursed in the khariff season and another Rs 2,500 cr during rabi plantation

Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government on Monday announced to provide Rs 6,000 crore loan to the farmers at two percent interest rate through co-operative societies. This comes close on the heels of earlier scheme to provide free mobile handsets and health insurance to farmers, marking the overdrive by the ruling dispension to woo a prominent section of voters in the run up to the elections.

Mumbai: The insurance regulator has cleared a hike in health insurance rates for policies issued by New India Assurance, the country’s largest non-life insurer. The new rates are on an average 20% higher than the old ones which were in force from 2007 and will come into effect from next month.

The rate hike could trigger similar revisions among other state-owned non-life insurers since New India, being the largest, sets the benchmark for rates. TOI had reported in its January 26 edition that public sector insurers are set to revise health insurance rates by 20-25%.

Private hospitals refuse treatment under government insurance schemes

The Chhattisgarh government has had to accept yet another setback while trying desperately to rope in private players to strengthen public health care services. At least 20 major private hospitals have refused to provide treatment under the Chief Minister’s health insurance scheme — Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana (MSBY). Reportedly, they are also not following guidelines to provide treatment under the national health insurance scheme, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), and are charging money from the patients.

Presenting the budget for 2013-14, Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather Wednesday announced a slew of welfare measures: health insurance for migrants, hike in daily wages, VAT exem

This could be the UPA’s worst cut to its beloved aam admi. Healthcare has virtually been handed over to privateers.

An evening to honour India’s changemakers

They took the path less travelled, and on Monday it will lead a group of remarkable men and women to the stage for the second Times of India Social Impact Awards in association with J P Morgan. The awards are being given to changemakers within NGOs, corporates and the government who have quietly worked to transform the lives of millions of marginalized Indians.