The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) met under the Chairmanship of Shri Oscar Fernandes, Indian Minister of State for Labour & Employment.
The 140th meeting of the Corporation was called specially for considering provision of medical care by the E.S.I.S. hospitals to the workers in the unorganized sector under the Swasthya Beema Yojna being launched by the Ministry.
Setting the agenda for the meeting Shri Fernandes observed that workers in the unorganized sector constitute about 93 per cent of the total work force but they do not have any social security cover. The E.S.I. Scheme being the premier social security scheme in the country must, therefore, come forward and make a beginning by participating in the Health Insurance Scheme for BPL unorganized sector workers by making available its vast network of Hospitals for providing medical care wherever the same are under-utilized.
The Members of the Corporation deliberated the proposal to amend certain provisions of the E.S.I. Act, 1948 enabling opening of facilities in E.S.I.S. Hospitals to non-insured persons on payment of user charges and enabling the Central Government to notify separate schemes for different Sectors of Employment or Occupation with separate source of financing.
The Ministry has formulated a health insurance scheme named “Swasthya Beema Yojna” with a view to provide Health Insurance Cover to Below Poverty Line (BPL) workers in the unorganized sector and their families. The scheme provides a cover of Rs. 30,000/- per BPL family, per annum and will provide health care which will include pre-existing diseases, hospitalization, surgical procedures which can be provided on a day care basis, transport allowance of Rs. 100/- per visit and pre and post hospitalization expenses for one day prior to and 5 days after hospitalization. The medical care under the scheme will be provided through Government Hospitals including E.S.I. Scheme Hospitals as well as through private hospitals.