Lok Sabha Question No. 1423 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-10
Subject: Healthcare in Remote Regions
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1423 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  FEBRUARY, 2023

## HEALTHCARE IN REMOTE REGIONS

## 1423. SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA:

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

- (a) the details of steps taken by the Government to ensure availability of decent medical facilities in remote regions of the country;
- (b) the current status of the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Scheme;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  problems  in  the  scheme  being  faced  due  to  its complex software and if so, the remedial steps taken in this regard; and
- (d) whether Ayushman Bharat health scheme covers the lodging and boarding charges required for the attendant accompanying the patient during the treatment period of the beneficiary and if not, the reasons therefor?

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND

## ANSWER FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a)  to  (d):  Under  National  Health  Mission  (NHM),  support  is  provided  to  all  States/UTs  for creation  of  health  infrastructure  in  all  areas  including  remote  and  border  areas  as  per  Indian Public  Health  Standards  norms.  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  has  developed eSanjeevani,  a  telemedicine  application,  which  provides  doctor  to  doctor  (HWC  module)  and patient to doctor consultation services (OPD module). This application works on a hub and spoke model.  At  hub  level,  a  specialist  doctor  provides  services  to  Health  and  Wellness  Centers (HWCs)  in  rural areas. As  on 31.01.2023, a  total  of  1,56,412  AB-HWCs  have  been operationalized across the country. Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) launched on 23.09.2018 is the world's largest health protection scheme which provides health coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per beneficiary family per annum for secondary and tertiary care hospitalizations corresponding to 1,949 treatment procedures across 27 specialties to approximately  10.74  crore  poor  and  vulnerable  families  identified  on  the  basis  of  select deprivation and occupational criteria in rural and urban areas respectively as per SECC database of 2011.

As of 02 nd February 2023, a total of 23.07 crore Ayushman cards have been created against the verified  beneficiaries  and  over  4.34  crore  hospital  admissions  worth  Rs.  51,749.40  crore  have been authorized through a network of 26,049 empanelled health care providers including 14,200 private  hospitals.  To  enable  an  effective  roll-out  of  AB-PMJAY  across  the  nation,  robust technology  platforms  have  been  adopted.  Key  initiatives  taken  to  enhance  IT  systems  are  at Annexure.

A  number  of  healthcare  benefits  viz.  medical  examination,  treatment  and  consultation,  prehospitalization  up  to  3  days,  medicine  and  medical  consumables,  non-intensive  and  intensive care  services,  diagnostic  and  laboratory  investigations,  medical  implantation  services  (where necessary), accommodation benefits, food services, post-hospitalization follow-up care up to 15 days, are provided to the beneficiaries under the scheme across the country. The services under AB-PMJAY are patient-centric.

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## Key initiatives taken to enhance IT systems under AB-PMJAY:

- i. Beneficiary Identification  System  (BIS  2.0): BIS  2.0  is  enabled  with  features  like access to village-wise data that helps in beneficiary mobilization at ground level, open BIS which allows self / assisted verification and eliminates unnecessary intermediaries.
- ii. PM-JAY Mobile Application: Beneficiary  verification  and  card  creation  have  been enabled on PM-JAY mobile application.
- iii. Transaction Management System (TMS 2.0): Revamping of Transaction Management  System  (TMS  2.0)  to  improve  in-patient  registration,  pre-authorisation, admission, initial diagnosis, follow up, claims management and payments.
- iv. National Portal, Dashboard & Analytical Solution: Analytical dashboards have been developed which monitor the status of implementation of AB PM-JAY based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and generate reports for the same.
- v. Health Claims  Exchange  Platform  (HCEx ):  HCEx  platform  has  been  launched  to connect hospitals to insurance companies and State governments.

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