Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi Scheme (KASP)

The field of medicines constantly sees some innovation or the other. It can either be in the medical instruments being used or medicines or surgeries. If you visit a hospital within a gap of a year or two, you are more likely to find new or improved machines or techniques to perform diagnostic or treatment. There is absolutely no doubt that we need such medical advancements, but it comes at a cost.

These medical advancements directly impact the cost of treatment. The rise can be attributed to different pieces such as infrastructure, medications, facilities that are available, hospitalisation expenses, etc. Medical expenses have gone up a few notches in the past few years and it is set to rise in the future as well. To aid people to cope with the rising costs of medical treatments, governments have initiated a few schemes. The central government has introduced a few schemes, and so have a few of the states. The karunya arogya suraksha padhathi scheme is one such example and is our focus here

The Karunya health scheme was introduced by the Kerala Government with the sole aim of providing quality healthcare to the financially less fortunate segment of society. The scheme would allow the poverty-stricken segment of the society to get access to quality healthcare by paying nominal premiums.

The UDF government came up with the scheme in 2012 for the underprivileged segment of society. Simply put, the Kerala Lottery funds the health insurance scheme. And the total expenses for treatment are settled directly by making a payment to the network hospitals.

The scheme ensures that the beneficiaries can receive treatment for critical illnesses. Each family that is covered as a part of the scheme receives a health cover of INR 5 lakhs for most secondary and tertiary medical care. To avail benefits of the scheme, the families must pay a nominal charge as the policy premium.

The karunya health scheme Kerala packs in quite a few features to make the policy effective. Here are the salient features of the scheme.

• The Government of Kerala has allocated a sum of INR 250 crores to cover the expenses related to the scheme. This allows the beneficiaries to claim ICU charges, operation expenses, medicines charges, consultation fees, hospitalisation charges, etc.
• During the initial phases of the scheme’s introduction, the treatment of medical conditions was only limited to government hospitals. However, with time a few private hospitals have also been empanelled. The presence of a few private hospitals ensures that the beneficiaries get access to better facilities and infrastructure and in turn, better treatment as well.
• You can visit the official website to get all the latest information about the scheme and any other updates that are available. The website is also essential for karunya arogya suraksha padhathi registration. Beneficiaries can find a lot of details on the website such as the claims procedure, the list of network hospitals and other important details.
• You can choose the available hospital list and specific dates for procedures by simply entering your location.

You must meet certain criteria to be able to enrol for the Karunya health insurance scheme. Here are the criteria.

• The applicant or beneficiary must be a resident of Kerala.
• To be able to enrol for this scheme, the applicant must have their Aadhar card and income certificate as the primary documents, along with a few other documents.
• The scheme is applicable to people who fall below the poverty line. Families belonging to the BPL and APL can apply for the scheme, as long as the family income is less than INR 3 lakhs per annum.

It is quite easy to enrol for Karunya health scheme Kerala. Access to the internet and a relatively straightforward website make it easy to enrol for the scheme. You can visit the official government website and use the following steps to register for the scheme.

• Visit the official portal at http://karunya.kerala.gov.in to being the registration process
• Click on the section “How to Apply” from the home page
• Download the application form from the website
• Ensure to enter all the details carefully and submit the same along with the necessary documents

Those who have already applied or registered for the scheme and wish to know its status, they can do so easily from the website. You simply need to click on the Application Tracking button. The website would then expect a reference number or file number from you along with a Captcha. Alternatively, you can check your name in the List of Beneficiaries link. Both the options are available on the home page, thus making them easy to access.

Just like any other insurance plan, the karuya health scheme also has a few benefits that you should be aware of. Before you enrol for the plan, here are the top benefits that you must know about the scheme.

• A major benefit of the scheme is that in cases where the treatment expenses exceed the estimated amount, you can claim reimbursement for the remaining amount.

Some common medical conditions for which the policy offers coverage are:

• Renal diseases
• Cancer
• Liver and Brain surgery
• Serious respiratory illness
• Haemophilia
• Heart-related diseases and transplant surgeries
• Palliative care

The Kerala government provides monetary benefits of up to INR 2 lakhs for the mentioned diseases. However, depending on the severity of the illness, the amount can be increased up to INR 3 lakhs.

If you wish to enrol for karunya health insurance scheme in Kerala, an income certificate along with an Aadhar card are the two most essential documents needed. However, it does not stop there. Here are some of the additional documents that you would need to submit, to apply for the scheme. You would need to submit these while filing the application form.

Also, 33 existing public health units will be strengthened and 17 new ones will be established and all yen states will also be linked to the portal.

• Proof of Identity: You need to prove that you are a resident of Kerala. You can submit your voter ID card or Aadhar card as a proof of the same

• BPL Card: As already mentioned, the scheme is for the underprivileged segment of society. Applicants would need to provide some sort of proof to justify the same. Families that hold a BPL card, must submit a copy of the same while registering for the scheme online.

• Residential Proof: You must submit the original copy of your residential proof along with the application form

• Income certificate: The eligibility criteria of the scheme predominantly depend on your annual income. The Kerala government will assess your annual income to determine whether you qualify for the scheme or not. If you want to apply for the health insurance plan, make it a point to submit your income certificate or other income-related details along with the application form.

Apart from the above, you would also need to submit a copy of your Ration card, a passport-sized photograph, along with the estimated amount of expenses at the hospital. All these must be submitted along with the application form.

Indian health care system has taken steady strides over the last few years, and it is on the right track for now. This period of emerging healthcare usually comes with a cost, and it is essential that the underprivileged are not forgotten when it comes to healthcare.

One of the most visible changes is the emergence of a lot of government-backed schemes for providing efficient and effective health care for all. When the government offers such schemes, it ensures that people who cannot afford expensive healthcare, get access to good healthcare without worrying about the related expenses.

People who are struggling to make their ends meet might struggle massively to take care of their healthcare needs. However, with schemes such as the karunya arogya suraksha padhathi we have a ray of hope. These schemes ensure that people receive adequate medical attention without worrying a lot about the related expenses.

The scheme and all of its details are available online. Which makes it easily accessible to everyone. At the same time, people who aren’t all that technological savvy might find it a bit cumbersome. However, if you can take the help of someone, it is rather easy to get your hands on the scheme. You can apply for the scheme on the official website by submitting all the documents that are listed above.

Applying for the scheme online allows you to start utilizing the scheme and ensure that you and your loved ones receive the necessary medical attention. And the inclusion of a few private hospitals has ensured that the quality of healthcare is right up to the mark without any kind of compromises. If you have not already filled out your form, now might be the right time to do so.