The state government is preparing to make changes in the format of the Chief Minister Himachal Health Care Scheme (Himcare) soon. The government can increase the fee for income tax payers and the well-off people in this scheme. There is also a preparation to make the validity period of the scheme one year instead of three and to implement the system of making the card compulsory in the first three months of the year. The state Congress government has prepared to amend this scheme, which was changed just before the elections during the tenure of the former Jairam government.
A proposal to change the format of the Himcare scheme has been prepared based on the suggestions for change in the format of the Himcare scheme on the recommendations of the Cabinet Subcommittee constituted under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri to review the Ayushman, Himcare and Sahara scheme.
In the year 2019, the Himcare scheme was introduced for people below the poverty line, widows, orphans and other weaker sections of the society. Under the scheme, the validity of Rs 1,000 premium for Himcare was fixed for one year, and at the beginning of the year, Himcare cards could be made only from January 1 to March 31. The scheme continued to operate like this till March 2022.
During the tenure of the Jairam government, in April 2022, the validity of the Himcare scheme was increased from one to three years and apart from the weaker sections, general sections were also included in the scheme. After this, a large number of employees and businessmen also made Himcare cards to save the cost of treatment.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee believes that the premium amount can be increased for those who are paying taxes. Fixing the validity period to one year will make it easier for the government to run the scheme. At present, Himcare cards are being used in most of medical colleges. Recently, the government has also made some payments to the medical colleges from the pending budget under the scheme.