The innovative scheme of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) — cashless and paperless health insurance for BPL families — launched by the Central government across the nation is all set to go global.

After getting accolades in the Wall Street Journal that carried a detailed article on RSBY titled “India’s poor get health card to fund medical treatment”, the World Bank has now invited the Indian officials to make a presentation of the scheme before other countries at the World Bank headquarters in Washington.

The presentation is scheduled for November during the annual meeting of the World Bank on “most innovative ideas”. At the meeting, countries selected for their innovative ideas, share their plans with other nations.

The scheme was announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Independence Day last year and it was formally launched on October 1, 2007.

Under the RSBY, a smart card is given to a BPL family that contains complete personal data and fingerprints of the entire family members. Over three lakh cards have so far been issued in 16 states and 1,200 patients have already used their cards in Haryana, Delhi and Punjab.

“The biometrics help check any misuse of card,” said Anil Swaroop, Director General Labour Welfare.

To obtain the smart card, each BPL family has to pay Rs 30 that entitles the entire family — head of the family/spouse and three children — to receive over 700 medical treatments/surgeries costing up to Rs 30,000 for one year. Once the whole money is debited from the beneficiary’s account he can get a recharge of the same amount by again paying Rs 30.

... contd.