Govt decides to hike benefits under MHIS for Covid patients Archives

Shillong, May 27: With rising number of COVID-19 cases, the state government on Thursday announced the hike in benefit of Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) from the existing Rs 4,900 per day up to Rs 60,000 for COVID-19 patients and also ex-gratia to the families of COVID-19 deceased.

The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma with the Health and Family Welfare department and MHIS officials following the growing demand from various sections to cover the medical treatment expenses for COVID-19 in all private-run hospitals across the State.

“For ICU with ventilator Rs 4,900 per day package, an add-on package of ARDS for Rs 60,000 will be added for patients suffering from multiple complications,” Sangma tweeted.

Government has also decided that an ex gratia of ₹ 50,000 will be provided to the next of kin of #Covid deceased from 1st April 2021. @drharshvardhan pic.twitter.com/EKEcNBzdcd

— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) May 27, 2021

Briefing reporters after the review meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the government has decided to increase the coverage from Rs. 4,900 per day to Rs. 60,000 for six days.

He also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 50,000 each for the next of kin of the COVID-19 deceased.

“The impact of COVID-19 this year has been severe. Therefore, we decided to provide an ex-gratia to those families who have lost their members from April 1, 2021,” Tynsong said.

Till date, more than 350 COVID-19 deaths have been registered since April 1, 2021, he said.

“The benefits would be released immediately to the beneficiaries,” Tynsong said, adding that only beneficiaries covered under the MHIS would get the benefits on their hospitalisation.

Voicing disappointment that 58.5 percent of the population are covered under the MHIS, the Deputy Chief Minister urged all citizens of the state who are eligible to register themselves under the MHIS.

The State-sponsored MHIS benefit is available for all the residents of the state, except state and central government office employees.

Meanwhile, MHIS state manager Sonata Dkhar, informed that spot registration of new patients whether those suffering from COVID or otherwise is done everyday.

However, when pointed out that this was not the case, Dkhar said that there is a set database of eligible beneficiaries and the database has been collected using the electoral roll of 2016, the database of the Socio-Economic Caste Census.

“There are several families and people who are not in the database. For those people we collect the EPIC card and then send it to the central government to get their names added into the system,” She informed.