Rourkela: Not so long ago, Sundargarh was gearing up for a significant transition on healthcare. With Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) taking over from Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSYK), more than 4.37 lakh ration cardholders in Sundargarh will receive the Ayushman cards, which will enable free healthcare to 15.09 lakh residents on March 1st.
But it has also ignited a political war between the BJD and BJP, with both claiming solidly the superiority of their adopted healthcare schemes.
Saga of BSYK Cards in Sundargarh
Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik introduced Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSYK) cards 40 months ago-September 13, 2021, to be precise-right in Sundargarh. Under the scheme:
- 4,37,333 ration cardholders in Sundargarh received BSYK cards.
- 15,09,631 people benefited from free healthcare services.
- 68,575 cardholders in Rourkela alone, with 2,23,418 beneficiaries.
- The scheme was launched with much fanfare, involving ministers, MLAs, and local representatives across Sundargarh’s 17 blocks.
Ayushman Bharat: What’s Changing?
As the Ayushman Bharat scheme replaces BSYK, it promises:
- Nationwide portability of benefits.
- Access to a network of private and public hospitals within and outside Odisha.
- A cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
- So the real question is whether Ayushman will effectively outdo BSYK in the healthcare sector.
BJD vs BJP: Political Tension
The BJD criticized the move by saying that Ayushman Bharat had fewer benefits than BSYK in terms of coverage and that the local scheme was much more appropriate in respect to the healthcare needs of Sundargarh.
According to the BJP, Ayushman Bharat will benefit more than BSYK. Even with other considerations between the borders of Odisha and other states, the plan of private hospital access under this scheme makes it more superior. Thus, they hope that the mobility and coverage of BSYK could be supplemented further by Ayushman .
Over the next months, residents will be able to confirm these claims by applying the Ayushman scheme and experiencing its benefits firsthand.
The extent of the influence of BSYK across the blocks in Sundargarh is cited here:
Every block had invested grandly, revealing popularly the increasing dependence on the support healthcare received from the government.
Ayushman Bharat’s National Benefits
Ayushman Bharat’s key advantage lies in its national framework, which allows beneficiaries to seek treatment outside Odisha. The portability of benefits is especially useful for families with members working in other states.
Key features include:
Cashless hospitalization at over 24,000 empaneled hospitals. However, it still remains to see just how much the system can work and whether, as the BSYK claimed, it can address the healthcare-provision conditions across the locality efficiently.
What Lies in Store
The rollout of Ayushman Bharat in Sundargarh- literally, crossing oceans of blood and sweat- is like a public litmus test of the scheme in Odisha. Here are a few points to watch for:
- Transition Smoothness: How effectively will BSYK cardholders receive their Ayushman cards?
- Private Hospital Access: Will beneficiaries get timely and quality treatment?
- Patient Feedback: The real measure of success will be in the experiences of those receiving care.
Key Takeaways
1. How smoothly will it execute the transition-BSYK cardholders getting their Ayushman cards?
2. Will beneficiaries access timely and quality treatment from the private hospitals?
3. Patient feedbacks will speak for themselves on success.
Some Main Issues
- Due to this transition from BSYK to Ayushman Bharat in Sundergarh, over 15 lakh people will be affected.
- The political storm aside, the success of Ayushman Bharat lies largely in execution.
Maybe the best feature of Ayushman Bharat, however, could lie in the national portability.
