Free Medicare to all citizens- Time to introspect

Free Medicare to all citizens- Time to introspect.

Times of India of Aug 8, 2011 has carried a news item on the concept being considered under free medicare. Part of it is:

“Working towards its aim of providing free healthcare to all, the government is planning a national health entitlement card (NHEC) for every citizen that will guarantee access to a package of essential primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare fully funded by the centre.

The proposal, finalized by a high-powered expert panel of the Planning Commission, talks of covering both in-patient and OPD services free of cost with cashless facility. The health package will focus on the most common and high-impact healthcare requirements.

While the centre will bear the cost of services offered under the national health package, state government can add more services at their own cost. The health services can be availed through public sector and contracted private facilities, including NSOs and non-profit agencies.

Service providers, be it public or private, who accept the health card will not provide any services to those willing to pay additional fees either out-of-pocket or through their privately purchased insurance policies.

This is being done to keep away those who can pay to avail health services.”

This news came on (the same day) when the world was facing crisis due to debt/ deficite Aug 8, 2011 some of the major countries USA, Italy, Portugal, Greece are facing crisis due to Social Insurance/ Social benefits which were provided by those governments to their citizens.

The question before us is we on the right track. Is there any survey on lignor consumption in localities where we have so called BPL families living. Are we supporting them so that they can spend more on lignor, panmasala and gutka.