Health insurance scheme for pensioners launched by Tamil Nadu Government
Posted on: 31/Dec/2013 12:20:38 PM
On Monday, the Tamil Nadu Government issued orders for launching a health insurance scheme for pensioners, retired employees and their families.
Following an announcement by finance minister O Panneerselvam while presenting the budget earlier this year, a finance department order said the quantum of assistance would be fixed at Rs 2 lakh and would be applicable to the pensioner and his/her spouse as well as family pensioners.
The scheme will be operated by a public sector insurance company. The beneficiaries will have to pay a sum as subscription and the rest will be contributed by the government. “The scheme will be implemented in 2-3 months,” said an official. The insurance company will be chosen through a tender process, said the official. The new health insurance scheme shall operate on a cashless basis and it shall be made compulsory for all pensioners (including spouse)/family pensioners. The quantum of assistance shall be fixed at Rs 2 lakh for both pensioners (including spouse) and family pensioners for a period of four years from the date of the launch of the scheme, said the order.
If the spouse of a pensioner is also a pensioner, the recovery of subscription shall be collected from one person only, based on the option exercised by them, said the official. The amount of the pensioners’ contribution to the scheme will be decided after the selection of the insurance company and finalisation of the costs, said the order.
The scheme for pensioners and family pensioners is different from the general free insurance scheme for people whose income is below Rs 72,000 a year.
