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A Step Towards Inclusivity! Transgender Persons To Be Included In Ayushman Bharat's Revised Healthcare Plan
Writer: Akanksha Saxena
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India, 15 Oct 2021 12:21 PM GMT
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Creatives : Akanksha Saxena
I am a budding journalist who loves to write stories that have the ability to connect with people.
The benefit given to the transgender community in the Central Government's health insurance scheme comes under 'Support For Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise' that will include medical support.
The Centre's health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat, has now widened its ambit and included the transgender community in it as well. The Health Benefit Package or 'HBP 2.2' was revised recently that includes benefits that will support the community, along with covering the costs of sex-change operations and other medical support they may need.
The Government's New 'SMILE' Scheme
A new scheme by the Modi government called 'Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE)' will be applicable to the transgender community. Falling under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PM-JAY), it will provide the necessary money to cover all the medical expenses, the amount being ₹ 5 lakh per family. This will be used for getting free treatment in all public and empanelled private hospitals.
R Subramanyam, Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary, told The Economic Times, "There are five components of the new scheme- education, health, skill development, rehabilitation and economic linkages. For health, packages are being worked out under Ayushman Bharat for transgenders. This will cover surgeries and medical support required by the transgender persons."
The scheme was rolled out on October 12. Under it, there are two sub-schemes namely Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons and Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons who beg on the streets.
Health Benefit Package 2.2
Ayushman Bharat's revised healthcare plan includes modified rates for radiation oncology procedures, dengue management procedures, acute febrile illness, black fungus, heart catheterisation and many others, along with revising rates for ICU by 100 percent, ICU without ventilator by 136 percent and the like. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya expressed his joy regarding the plan while speaking to the media, stating that it will help hospitals in providing better healthcare to the beneficiaries under this scheme as the regular rates have been revised to improve the infrastructure.
Also Read: Huge Disparities Among States Under Ayushman Bharat Scheme, RTI Response Reveals Data
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