INTRODUCTION

Health Insurance Schemes in India

The penetration of health insurance in India is very low. In a country of 1.25 billion population,
less than one-fifth are covered under any kind of insurance. Even, among those covered, the
average insured is less than Rs.2 lakh, according to data from the Insurance Information Bureau
of India. Considering the high cost of medical procedures today and the double digit inflation in
healthcare costs, having health insurance is very important. In many cases, a lot of Indians forego
many important surgeries and treatments due to lack of sufficient health cover.
It is a well - known fact that 70 % of the Indian population live in rural India. India is home to
the largest number of poor, with one-third of the worlds 1.2 billion extreme poor people living
here and a large proportion of those poor people live in rural India. Poverty remains a chronic
condition for more than 30% of Indias rural population. Tertiary care is too expensive for these
people. As, a result, those with conditions requiring tertiary care often go untreated or are left
with devastating hospital bills.
To meet the needs for tertiary care of these poverty struck people, India has rolled out many
health insurance schemes. These insurance programs are financed through tax and do not require
premiums or user fee from beneficiaries.

Health Insurance Schemes Launched By Government For Unprivileged Citizens

Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana Caters to health related needs and provides social security

to the workers working in unorganized sector.

The Vajpayee Arogyashree Insurance Scheme - Most of the beneficiaries of this scheme live

in rural areas with little or no access to tertiary care.

Universal Health Insurance Schemes - Covers health related expenses of BPL citizens in

India.
Rajeev Gandhi Jeevandayi Yojana Launched by the State Government of Maharashtra to
improve medical access facility for both Below Poverty Line (BPL - Yellow card holders)

and Above Poverty Line (APL- orange card holders) families.

Yeshasvini Scheme - Launched by the Karnataka government for the Co-operative Farmers.

ABOUT YESHASVINI SCHEME

Mission
To provide quality health care within the reach of rural co-operator, based on the collective
power of the masses to provide for themselves, expensive Health Care through Self-Funded
scheme in Karnataka.
"Yeshasvini Cooperative Farmers Health Care Scheme" (Yeshasvini Scheme) was introduced by
the State Government to the Co-operative Farmers of Karnataka. The Honble Chief Minister of
Karnataka, Sri S. M. Krishna inaugurated the scheme on 14th November 2002.The scheme got
operational from 1st June 2003. The Yeshasvini Cooperative Farmers Healthcare trust was
registered under the Indian Trust Act 1882.

Salient Features
Yeshasvini is one of the largest Self-Funded Healthcare Scheme in India.
The beneficiary has to contribute only small amount of money every year to avail any kind of

surgery during the period.

The beneficiaries are offered cashless treatment subject to the condition of the scheme at the
Network Hospitals spread across the State of Karnataka.
Eligibility
The person should be a member of Rural Cooperative Society of the state.
All family members of main member are eligible to avail the benefit of the scheme even if

they are not members of the Rural Cooperative Society of the State.
Each beneficiary is required to pay Rs.210 as a rate of annual contribution every year.
The period of enrollment starts from July and ends in October every year.
The scheme is open to all rural co-operative society members, members of self-help group/
Sthree Shakti Group having financial transaction with the Cooperative Society/Banks,

members of Weavers, Beedi Workers and Fisherman Cooperative Societies.

The age limit fixed for availing the benefits is 75 years.
Medical Benefits Covered
823 types of surgical procedures identified by the Yashashwini trust are in the defined list of
surgeries.

Medical emergencies such as dog bite, snake bite, drowning and other accidents occurred
during operating agricultural implements, bull gore injures and electric shock, normal
delivery, neonatal care and angioplasty procedure are also covered under the scheme.
Yeshasvini A Public Private Partnership

According to TechnoPak 2010 report, Yeshasvini is among the most successful PPP projects in
India .Under this strategic partnership many private hospitals are providing crucial healthcare
services to rural people who contribute less than Rs. 5 a month.
In recent days it has been seen that the notion of Public Private Partnerships form an inseparable
component of a myriad of policies on healthcare delivery at local , national and international
levels. The probable reason for the popularity of this type of strategic partnership is its potential
to deliver fast results by utilizing the efficiency and accountability of private domain to produce
an impact in the public domain. Public Private Partnership is a win-win situation for both the
public and private sector. Together they can create a positive impact on healthcare sector.