Karunya Health Insurance Scheme By Kerala Government

The cost of healthcare treatment is soaring day by day in India due to advanced medical systems, improved infrastructure, the rising costs of medicines, and so on. To cope with the scenario, the Indian government has announced multifarious health insurance schemes to offer the best healthcare support to underprivileged people.

Karunya Health Insurance Scheme is one type of such initiative that was introduced by the Kerala Government. The prime objective of Karunya insurance is to provide quality healthcare facilities to the destitute segment of the society at minimal costs of premium. This Kerala government health insurance project was launched by the UDF government in 2012. Karunya health insurance offers required benefits to underprivileged groups of society. This Karunya health scheme is backed and funded by Kerala Lottery and the amount is directly settled with network hospitals.

Karunya Health Insurance Scheme

The core objective of this Karunya health insurance scheme in Kerala is to offer the best treatment and coverage to people who are suffering from various critical illnesses. According to the scheme, every family should receive a health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs each year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

Eligibility for Karunya Health Insurance Scheme

Let’s take a look at the eligibility criteria of this scheme

• The recipient should be a resident of Kerala.
• Applicants who belong to the below poverty line may only be eligible for this scheme. All the BPL and APL families with annual income less than Rs. 3 lakhs may apply for this scheme.
• People who are planning to apply for this scheme must hold Aadhaar cards and income certificates with other required documents.

Benefits of Karunya Health Insurance Scheme

The Karunya Health Scheme which is supported by the Kerala government works similarly to a critical illness insurance cover. This cover is beneficial for people who are having some critical chronic illnesses.  With the help of this scheme, they will get the best treatments at network hospitals. Some of the acute illnesses that are covered by this insurance scheme are

• Cancer
• Hemophilia
• Palliative Care
• Heart diseases
• Kidney diseases
• Brain surgery
• Severe respiratory illnesses

If you are suffering from any of the above-mentioned illnesses, then this scheme is beneficial for you as it offers treatment benefits up to Rs. 2 lakh. For some specific major ailments, the sum insured amount is increased to Rs. 3 lakh under the scheme. The most important thing about this health insurance scheme is that if your healthcare treatment expenditures surpass the estimated treatment cost, you will get reimbursement for that amount.

Features of Karunya Health Insurance Scheme

Below are some astonishing features of the Karunya Health Insurance Scheme.

• For this intriguing health insurance scheme, the government had spent nearly Rs.250 crore.
• Earlier, under this scheme, the beneficiaries used to get treatment for their illnesses only at government healthcare facilities or hospitals. But later, many renowned and well-established private hospitals were empanelled to give the best treatment qualities to beneficiaries under this cover.
• By visiting the official website i.e., https://www.karunya.kerala.gov.in, you can check all the required information and details about this health insurance. Here, everything is mentioned clearly about the scheme, including how to download the application and declaration form, claim process, list of network hospitals, and many more.
• From the website, you will also know the list of nominees or beneficiaries. In the menu, you need to click on the ‘list of beneficiaries’ and choose your district, hospital, and dates.
• To track your application, you need to click on the ‘application tracking’ tab and enter the file number. The present status of your application will appear gradually.

Documents Necessary to Apply for Karunya Health Insurance Scheme

You can apply for the registration process of the Karunya Health Insurance Scheme by submitting the list of documents given below:

• Identity Proof: To apply for this scheme, you need an Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, etc. All these documents will prove that you are a resident of Kerala.
• Residential Details: You need to submit the residential address proof along with the original form.
• BPL Card: This health insurance scheme is specially designed for underprivileged people who are below the poverty line. As an applicant, you need adequate evidence to validate this claim. BPL cardholders should present all documents during the online registration process to enjoy the benefits of this scheme.
• Income Certificate: Based on your annual income, the Government of Kerala will decide your eligibility for this health insurance scheme. So, keep all your documents ready that will portray your income details at the time of applying for this health insurance scheme.
• Additional Requirements: Along with other documents, you also need to give a copy of the ration card, passport-size photo, and estimate of the total amount that was spent at the time of hospitalization. You must submit all these documents with your insurance scheme application form.

Is there any offline process to collect the Karunya Insurance Scheme application form?

At present, there is no offline process to collect the form. You can only collect it at the official website of the government.

Can I get treatment for any pre-existing health condition under Karunya Health Insurance Scheme?

According to the policy, if you are suffering from any pre-existing diseases before applying for the scheme, then also you can enjoy the benefits of the policy.

The Conclusion

The Karunya Health Scheme is designed to offer adequate healthcare facilities to underprivileged groups against various chronic diseases. By utilizing its lottery money, the government is helping the poor population of the state to access quality healthcare. There were rumors that the government will withdraw the scheme, but the government announced that it has no plans to stop this Karunya health insurance scheme in the future.