PHAGWARA: Senior Punjab legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira has sought urgent clarification from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding the much publicized ₹10 lakh health insurance scheme announced by the state government, raising pointed questions about its actual scope, financial limits and ground-level preparedness. A copy of the communication has also been marked to Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh.
In a detailed letter dated February 20, Khaira said that while the scheme has been projected as a landmark welfare initiative promising comprehensive and cashless healthcare protection up to ₹10 lakh, serious confusion is emerging among patients, hospitals and healthcare providers about its operational framework. He noted that the scheme is reportedly designed to cover around 2, 356 ailments, each with a predefined package rate and upper financial cap. If treatment costs exceed these fixed limits, he cautioned, beneficiaries may be forced to pay the difference from their own pockets — a scenario that would dilute the promise of universal and cashless medical support.
Khaira questioned whether the ₹10 lakh coverage is a cumulative annual limit per family or whether it is effectively restricted by package-wise ceilings for individual treatments. He also sought clarity on whether patients would be required to make out-of-pocket payments in cases where hospital charges surpass the prescribed rates. Emphasizing the vulnerability of economically weaker sections, he argued that hidden limitations or conditional caps could render the scheme ineffective for those facing high-cost, life-threatening illnesses.