In a bid to expedite Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) implementation in the State, the Health and Family Welfare Department is establishing help desks in the empanelled public hospitals.
The help desks are being set up through Rogi Kalyan Samitis and equipped with necessary hardware and software systems to provide assistance to beneficiaries. The desks would carry out verification of the beneficiaries along with facilitating smart card transactions.
Twelve out of the 15 designated help desks have become functional in Puri district, nine out of 10 in Kendrapara, 10 of 13 in Rayagada, all the 14 in Sambalpur, 20 of 25 in Sundargarh, all nine in Gajapati, five in Deogarh, seven in Jharsuguda, 17 of 19 in Cuttack and seven out of eight have become functional in Nuapada district.
Lack of Internet connectivity has been cited as the major reason for non-functioning of help desks in the yet to be completed hospitals. The model code of conduct for panchayat polls has delayed the process in the districts of Khurda, Ganjam, Sonepur and Bargarh. The help desks in all the districts would, however, be established by month-end, Health Department sources said.
However, claims by beneficiaries are yet to gain momentum. This has been attributed to lack of knowledge and awareness on RSBY among the beneficiaries.
According to Health Department sources, the situation has come to such a pass due to lack of awareness generation initiatives by the insurance companies implementing the RSBY in districts. Help desks cannot help the beneficiaries until they become aware of benefits, sources said.
The RSBY aims at providing health insurance coverage up to Rs? 30,000 to five members of a BPL family.
They will be eligible for cashless treatment in empanelled hospitals. The insurance companies are selected and assigned districts for implementation of the insurance scheme.
