August 10: The main opposition party CPN (UML) has expressed its concern over what it says the government's preparations for partnering with the private sector for implementing the state-run health insurance programme.    

Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, UML lawmaker Khagaraj Adhikari said the point no 151 of the budget speech for the current fiscal year suggests the government preparing to include the private sector in implementing the insurance scheme. The former Minister for Health and Population said that the move would only make the programme a failure.    

The government had announced in the annual budget for the current fiscal year that the health insurance programme, which is currently being run by the Insurance Board under the Ministry of Health, will be entrusted to private insurance companies.

Former Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada was against handing the insurance programme to the private sector.

“I am not in favor of implementing new provision, nor will I ever do so,” said Khatiwada, before he was recalled by his party CPN Unified Socialist and was replaced by Bhawani Prasad Khapung as the new health minister

Khatiwada had made it clear that the health insurance programme would be continued as per the Health Insurance Act. The Health Insurance Act has provision for the board to run the programme.

Even the Health Insurance Board is said to be dissatisfied with the government's policy for the current fiscal year.

According to the health insurance programme operated by the government, five-member families can get medical treatment up to Rs 100,000 annually. To avail such facility, they have to pay an annual premium of Rs 3,500. Despite being called insurance, the government introduced this programme as social security scheme. Stakeholders express that the programme promoted as social security should not be handed to a private company. (With inputs from RSS)

Read also: Government Reluctant to Entrust Health Insurance Programme to Private Sector

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