Awaz Health Insurance Scheme : Health insurance in India is a must, particularly for the labor class, as it offers financial protection, timely access to quality healthcare. It plays a crucial role in preventing major health issues from setting them back financially, ensuring a secure and prosperous future for individuals and their families.
List of Topic Covered
What is Awaz Health Insurance Scheme?
Awaz Health Insurance is a pioneering healthcare scheme by the state government of Kerala specifically for migrant workers. It provides health insurance coverage and accidental death benefits, ensuring timely access to healthcare for migrant laborers in the state.It was introduced in November 2017 and the registration started in December 2017.
Key Features of Awaz Health Insurance Scheme.
- Primary data collection phase concluded in December 2017, followed by trial run enrollment from June 1, 2018.
- District labor officers oversee the enrollment process.
- Advertisements in multiple languages (Hindi, Bengali, Oriya) across the state.
- Registration camps in over 200 locations to identify and cover migrant workers.
- Smart cards issued by the Kerala government contain the worker’s nominee’s details.
- Complaint redressal cells established for efficient operation.
- Kerala houses approximately 25 lakh migrant workers, with 2.35 lakh workers entering annually.
- As of March 2022, 5.13 lakh migrant workers have enrolled in the Awaz health insurance scheme, while an additional 58,888 workers have enrolled in the Government’s welfare scheme, according to the state’s Labour minister, Shri V. Sivankutty.
- Scheme aims to address health concerns of migrant workers, such as malaria.
- Government has Focused on simplicity and ease of implementation.
- Priority on providing access to healthcare through comprehensive coverage.
Eligibility Criteria of Awaz Health Insurance Scheme
- Age criteria: Migrant workers must be between 18 and 60 years old.
- Enrolment process: Workers need to provide fingerprint, iris, and employment-related documents for enrolment. Insurance card issuance is subject to the submission of these documents.
- Valid identification: All the Central government or Kerala government issued identification cards such as Aadhaar Card, voter ID card, driving license, etc are accepted.
- Eligible sectors: Migrant workers working in sectors such as footwear, hotels, and other industries can enrol and benefit from the scheme.
Benefits and Coverage of Awaz Health Insurance Scheme
With a very easy registration process, this scheme has the following benefits and coverage.
- Free medical treatment for illness or injury up to ₹15,000. This helps to provide affordable coverage to migrant workers.
- Accidental death benefit limited to ₹2 lakh. It helps to provide financial support to the worker’s families.
- Cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals.
- Easy registration process.
- Migrant workers don’t need to pay any premium.
How Awaz Health Insurance Scheme Works?
Let’s understand this scheme with the help of an example.
- Suppose Akshay from Bihar has come to Kerala and started working in the Hotel as a sweeper. So Akshay is a migrant worker.
- He registers for this scheme at their nearest village office or Akshaya Kendra.
- He will provide the ID card, nominee details, employment documents, fingerprint and iris at Akshay Kendra.
- After registration, he will get an insurance health card.
- If Akshay falls ill or meets with an accident, he can visit any empanelled hospital. Show the health card and get the cashless treatment done up to ₹15,000.
- God Forbid in case of accidental death of Akshay, his nominee will get the ₹2 lakh rupees.
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Awaz Health Insurance Scheme FAQs
Awaz Health Insurance Scheme is a healthcare program for migrant workers in Kerala that provides health insurance coverage and accidental death coverage.
Migrant workers between the ages of 18 and 60 are eligible for the scheme.
To enroll, visit the designated registration centers and complete the enrollment process as instructed.
Documents required include proof of age, proof of migrant worker status, and identification documents like Aadhaar card.
The scheme offers health insurance coverage, accidental death coverage, and access to healthcare facilities for migrant workers.
Yes, migrant workers from sectors like footwear, hotels, and other industries can enroll in the scheme.
You can find empaneled hospitals by referring to the list provided by the scheme authorities or contacting the helpline.
No, there is no waiting period for availing benefits under the scheme.
Yes, cashless treatment is available at empaneled hospitals under the scheme.
Contact the scheme authorities and follow the claim procedure as instructed.
So overall it is a very good initiative and scheme from the Kerala government. This covers all the points on Awaz health insurance scheme. In case you have any suggestions or questions, please write in the comment box and we will get back to you.
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