Lok Sabha Question No. 4844 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-31
Subject: Free Medical Treatment to Senior Citizens
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: P. KUMAR

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4844 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 ST MARCH, 2017

## FREE MEDICAL TREATME NT TO SENIOR CITIZEN S

## 4844. SHRI P. KUMAR:

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

- (a)  whether  senior  citizens  in  developed  and  many  developing  countries  are  provided medical treatment including medicines and hospitalisation and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  w hether  the  Government  proposes  to  provide  free  medical  treatment  with  medicines  a hospitalisation to senior citizens in the country; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

- (a) : As  per  the  unverified  information  available  in  public  domain,  many  developed  a developing countries have been providing either free medical treatment including medicine hospitalisation or on subsidised cost, to their senior citizens. However, speci fic details of such schemes/policies are not available with this Ministry.
- (b) & (c) : The Government of India had launched National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) during 2010 - 11 with a view to provide separate and specialized comprehensive  health  care  facilities  to  senior  citizens  at  various  levels  of  state  h delivery system including outreach services. The health care facilities, being provided u programme, are either free or highly subsidised.

Contd…….

The major activities of the NPHCE are: - i)  Setting up of Geriatric department in identified Regional Geriatric Centres (RGC OPD care services and 30 bedded Geriatric ward for providing indoor services. RGCs w also undertake PG Courses in Geriatric for developing Human Resource

ii) Setting up of 10 bedded Geriatric units at all District Hospitals that will prov services for elderly during hospitalisation.

ii i )  Establishment  of  Rehabilitation  unit  at  all  Community  Health  Centres (CHCs)  and Geriatric clinic twice/week.

iv)  Setting up weekly Geriatric clinic by trained medical Officer at Primary Health (PHCs).

Apart from this, Government of India is implementing Senior Citizen Health Insura Scheme (SCHIS) for Sen ior Citizens of age 60 years and above, belonging to Below Poverty Line  (BPL)  and  11  other  defined  designated  categories  such  as  MGNREGA  Workers, Construction  Workers,  Mine  Workers,  Licensed  Railway  Porters,  Street  Vendors,  Beed Workers, Rickshaw Pullers, Rag Pickers and Auto/ Taxi drivers with effect from 01.04.2016, as a top up scheme of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY). The health coverage is upto Rs 30,000/ -- per annum per senior citizen for treatment packages, over and above RSBY entitleme

Itis  further  added  that  Public  Health  is  a  State  subject.  Under  the  National Mission, support is provided to States/UTs for provision of drugs free of cost to all t access public health facilities including the elderly population.

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