Bhawana Lama
Kathmandu: The newly elected people’s representatives from the local level election are spreading false propaganda of free insurance coverage to marginalized community or newly born girl child in their first decision and announcement. Most of the people’s representatives have mention the facilities provided by the Health Insurance Board’s health insurance program as their agenda.
Some municipalities have decided to set up a small fund to provide insurance facility through the same fund. They are naming the social security provided from this fund as insurance. In fact, so far no people’s representative has made a program to get insurance from an insurance company.
Many newly elected people’s representatives including Mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City Renu Dahal, Mayor of Hetauda Sub-Metropolis Minakumari Lama, Kamalamai Municipality’ Mayor Upendra Kumar Pokhrel, Mayor of Khotang Halesi Tuvachung Municipality Vimal Rai have decided to offer free health insurance in their schemes. But all these benefits and programs are already offered by the central government under health insurance program through the Health Insurance Board. The Board has enacted the Health Insurance Act and implemented this program. The Board has put forward this scheme to protect the right of the citizens to get quality health care. It is mentioned in this act that the financial risk of the insured will be reduced through prepayment through health insurance.
Every Nepali citizen can participate in the program. Newborns, children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and the disabled can participate in this program. The insured who has paid the prescribed premium for this insurance can get the service from the health institution or hospital specified by the board.
The local people’s representatives should focus on upgrading the health care centers in their municipality under the facilities provided by the Board and including more hospitals in the Board. So that the health insurance program provided by the Board becomes more effective and the common Nepali citizen can be benefited from its facilities.
