Ms Jayalalithaa gave the premium for the first quarter, amounting to 183.64 crore rupees, to the public sector insurance company implementing this scheme. This will benefit one crore 34 lakh families in the state.

In a press release today, the Tamil Nadu government said that the Medical Insurance scheme launched by the previous government was not beneficial to all. In the run up to the recent assembly elections, the AIADMK had in its Election Manifesto promised that the defects in the scheme would be set right and it would be replaced by a new scheme. Also the Governor's Address had pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government would launch a new Medical Insurance scheme to ensure quality medical facilities for all.

The Chief Minister today launched the Chief Ministers' Comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme at the state secretariat in Chennai.

The scheme would provide an insurance cover of one lakh rupees per family annually, amounting to four lakh rupees for four years. For some specific diseases, the ceiling would be raised to 1.5 lakh rupees. The would benefit 1.34 lakh families.

This comprehensive insurance scheme would cover 1,016 treatment procedures. It would also cover 113 continual treatment procedures and 23 diagnostic methods. If a surgery was not found necessary, the beneficiary would get back the money spent, the release said.

A minimum of 250 hospitals across Tamil Nadu would be recognized under this scheme including a minimum of 6 hospitals in each district and in cities like Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai, more hospitals will be included, it added. Medical camps would be conducted in the recognized hospitals to diagnose ailments in patients and to immediately treat the poor and the downtrodden under this scheme.

The Tamil Nadu government has chosen the public sector company United India Insurance Company Limited for implementing the scheme, the release added. The Government would be spending 750 crore rupees per annum under the scheme.
Ms Jayalalithaa handed over a cheque for 183.64 crore rupees, being the premium for the first quarter, to the Chairman and Managing Director of United India Insurance Company Limited. She also formally issued identity cards and approval letters for treatment to seven beneficiaries during the function.