Over 11.54 lakh beneficiaries registered under Mizoram universal healthcare scheme: Minister

Aizawl, Feb 19 (PTI) Over 11.54 lakh beneficiaries, including 2.22 lakh Golden Card holders, have been registered to avail cashless treatment under the Mizoram Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS), Health Minister Lalrinpuii informed the state assembly on Thursday.

The MUHCS was launched in March last year by the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government, headed by Chief Minister Lalduhoma.

The scheme provides up to Rs 5 lakh in annual coverage for cashless treatment at government facilities, as well as empanelled private and church-run hospitals.

The scheme, which became operational in April last year, has been converged with the Centre's Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) scheme.

Lalrinpuii said that Rs 154.37 crore has been generated so far in the 2025-26 fiscal through premium and contributions from general beneficiaries, government employees, civil pensioners, and state Grant-in Aid (GIA) and other sources.

Additionally, Rs 48 crore is expected to be received for the implementation of the healthcare scheme, she said.

Out of Rs 154.37 crore, Rs 11.99 lakh came from monthly contributions by government employees, Rs 5.55 crore from civil pensioners and Rs 6.54 crore as enrollment fee from general beneficiaries, she said.

"Out of the estimated 13-14 lakh state's population, over 11.54 lakh individuals have registered as beneficiaries under the MUHCS in the current fiscal," Lalrinpuii said, indicating the success of the scheme.

According to officials, the beneficiaries included general families, pensioners, government employees, and those under the AB PM-JAY scheme(Golden card holders), together totalling 2.88 lakh families.

"By effectively implementing the package rates and combining our expected funds to be received from our state budget, our projections for payments through March suggest that the government will save about Rs 100 crore during the current fiscal," the minister said while responding to questions from ruling and opposition members.

Under the scheme, general beneficiaries pay a minimum fee or premium of Rs 2,500 per financial year for cashless treatment in the general ward, Rs 5,000 in semi-private ward or semi-cabin and Rs 10,000 in private ward or cabin.

Government employees, including contractual and muster-roll, pay a monthly contribution ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 1,500, depending on their pay scales to avail unlimited health cover.

Beneficiaries or golden card holders under the Centre's AB PM-JAY scheme need not pay registration fees under MUHCS.

According to the minister, the scheme is being implemented in all state-run hospital and health facilities, and 16 empanelled private hospitals and 3 day care centres across the state, besides 33 empanelled private hospitals outside the state.

She said that negotiations are on with the authorities of reputed private hospitals in Aizawl to implement the scheme in their hospitals.

Mizoram has recently signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), securing a US Dollar 108 million (approximately Rs 800 cr) loan to strengthen public healthcare and enhance the implementation of MUHCS.

Lalrinpuii said that the loan is strictly ring-fenced for the MUHCS corpus fund, ensuring that the interest earned will provide a substantial and sustainable financial cushion once the loan is fully drawn.

She assured the Assembly that there is no reason to be alarmed regarding the implementation of MUHCS. PTI CORR NN