Lok Sabha Question No. 4947 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-31
Subject: Health Insurance for Elderly
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4947 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 ST MARCH, 2017

## HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ELDERLY

## 4947. ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that only about one per cent of the elderly in the country have health insurance;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether according to UN estimates the country's elderly population is estimated to grow 18.3 per cent of total population by 2050;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has any mechanism to address the issue; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

- (a) & (b) : The details of the percentage of elderly people covered under Health Insuranc India  are  not  available  at  central  level  as  the  same  is  not  centrally  mai ntained  by Insurance Regulatory  and  Development  Authority (IRDA).  The  total  number  of  lives  (including  elderly people) covered under any type of Health insurance p olicies during the F inancial Y ear2015- 16 was 35.89 crore which is approximately 30% of the India's total population.

Government of India is implementing Senior Citizen Health Insurance scheme (SCHIS) for Senior Citizens of age 60 years and above, belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) an other defined designated categories such as MGNREGA Workers, Construction Workers , Mine Workers,  Licensed  Railway  Porters,  Street  Vendors,  Beedi  Workers,  Rickshaw  Pullers,  R Pickers and Auto/ Taxi drivers with effect from 01.04.2016, as a top up scheme of Rash Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY). The health coverage is upto Rs. 30,000/ -- per annum per senior citizen for treatment packages, over and above RSBY entitlement.

At present SCHIS is being implemented in 8 States namely Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh.

(c) & (d): The Population Division of United Nations Department of Economic and Social A ffairs in its 2015 report has projected the elderly population (60+age group) to be 1 2050 as per the details given below: -

| Percentage of elderly aged 60 years and above   |   Percentage of elderly aged 60 years and above |   Percentage of elderly aged 60 years and above |   Percentage of elderly aged 60 years and above |
|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| Y ear                                           |                                          2015   |                                          2030   |                                          2050   |
| %                                               |                                             8.9 |                                            12.5 |                                            19.4 |

(e) & (f): Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had launched. 'National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly' (NPHCE) during 2010 - 11 with a view to provide dedicated health care facilities t o the elderly population in the country through State Health Society (SHS). Thi health care scheme under which provisions have been made to establish comprehensive hea care setup tuned to needs of the elderly people. Following facilities are bein g provided under the Programme:

- Geriatric  OPD,  30  bedded  Geriatric  ward  for  in - patient  care,  etc  at  Regional  Geriatric Centres.
- Geriatric OPD and 10 bedded Geriatric Ward at District Hospitals.
- Bi- weekly Geriatric Clinic at Community Health Centres (CHC s).
- Weekly Geriatric Clinic at Primary Health Centre (PHCs).
- Provision of Aids and Appliances at Sub - centres