Pakistan: Ambitious health insurance plan launched for the needy
Source: Asia Insurance Review | Feb 2016
The federal government will spend PKR9.1 billion (US$87 million) over three years on the National Health Insurance Programme (NHIP), the country’s first-ever such plan, benefitting needy families. The coverage includes PKR50,000 for general treatment and PKR300,000 for serious illnesses per family.
In the first phase, over three million families will get health insurance in 23 districts, with the ultimate aim to cover 22 million households across the country, officials said.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who approved the programme last June, launched it on 31 December last year.
NHIP will pay for the treatment of illnesses identified by the government as critical: heart disease, diabetes and related illnesses, cancer, kidney and liver diseases, complications from infections like HIV and hepatitis, as well as injuries from road accidents and burns.
NHIP was launched in collaboration with State Life Insurance and National Database Registration Authority. A large part of the scheme will be funded by provinces which will pay State Life the premium on the behalf of poor families. State Life will handle hospital empanelment, package rates development, system expansion and beneficiary enrolment.