Anurag Dhanda: According to Anurag Dhanda’s announcement regarding a significant policy change, starting from 2026, Punjab will be the world for offering every family with a free health insurance coverage of ₹10 lakh. This plan is also called “Arvind Kejriwal style of politics”. This will give people access to high-quality healthcare and eliminate the worry about potential financial ruin if faced with a medical emergency.
The Initiative is a move towards achieving Universal Health Security in Punjab.
Anurag Dhanda: The Proposed scheme will provide cashless treatment of up to 10,00,000 Rupees per annum to every family in Punjab, irrespective of income category, as opposed to the government insurance schemes currently available, which focus primarily on households living under the poverty line or designated categories of beneficiaries.
Implementing Universal Coverage as described, will cover millions of Indians, removing the need for out-of-pocket expenditure, a significant contributor to the debt burden on Indian households.
Anticipated advantages for the populace
With the extensive scope of this programme, there will be numerous advantages for individuals, including:
- Improved access to higher quality private and public health care facilities
- Financial assistance for individuals experiencing significant financial strain due to serious illnesses or accidental injury
- Increased social incentives and support for preventive healthcare and early intervention
- Reduced incidence rate of financial distress and significantly lower rate of health-related financial problems among families
Families who are postponing medical treatment due to expense would benefit greatly from this action.
Issues to address in Implementation
The potential of the vision has been expressed; however, only by ensuring that it is implemented effectively will the criteria outlined for the recipients to benefit be fulfilled. Funding mechanisms, hospital empanelment, fraud detection and enforcement and effective Digital Systems will all help determine whether or not recipients actually benefit from the Services. Along with these elements, Sustainable Financing and Education Programs will be paramount to achieving success.
A New Political/Social Development
In providing a clear example of a Government that is committed to providing its citizens guaranteed protection in terms of welfare, many are excited about what this means for improving healthcare in our country and are eager to support the initiative. Some sceptics, however, will be closely monitoring the progress of the implementation of the initiative and whether it ultimately leads to a positive outcome for the recipients or if the results are disappointing at best.
