Shillong, Nov 19: Implementation of the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) Phase-IV is likely to begin before Christmas or New Year.

Health Minister AL Hek told reporters here on Monday that all ground works have been done, it has been proposed that health insurance scheme should be launched before Christmas or by the first week of January next year.

“The process of technical and financial bidding has been completed. What remains now is to issue the work order,” he said.

Altogether seven bidders participated in the bidding process of which, one did not qualify.

“On opening the financial bid, the Reliance General Insurance Company Limited is the lowest bidder. The company has quoted Rs 1,630 (premium) per household,” he said.

The MHIS phase-IV will be implemented by converging with the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat to provide a health insurance of Rs 5 lakh per family.

The MHIS-III scheme had ended in September 25 last after two extensions while nearly 8 lakh families, including 3.41 lakh of the lowest income families, are set to get the benefits under the MHIS-IV.

The delay in implementation of the MHIS-IV has resulted in 4.4 lakh beneficiaries losing insurance benefits for three months due to the delay in implementation of the scheme.

The Minister informed that the MHIS is far better than the Ayushman Bharat.

“MHIS has more than 2500 packages and Ayushman Bharat offered only 1000 packages. However, we will implement the Ayushman Bharat in the MHIS model in our state,” the Health Minister said.

Stating that the registration for Ayushman Bharat is fixed at Rs 50 per household, Hek however said the state government has decided to fix it at Rs 100 per household since it wanted to issue the best smart card to the beneficiaries.

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