In a bid to extend health insurance coverage to the BPL population, Alappuzha district administration in Kerala has started registration of two lakh families under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. RSBY is a smart card based cashless health insurance policy initiated by the Central Government in 2008 and implemented across the country. Comprehensive Health Insurance Agency of Kerala (CHIAK) and Akshaya are the nodal agencies for RSBY in Kerala.
Last month also witnessed similar initiatives in other states as well. The National Rural Health Mission in Assam announced to increase the information education communication (IEC) and capacity building activities among the BPL population. This initiative is aimed at attracting more people to the RSBY in the state. Additionally, the Odisha Government announced that it has selected four insurers to roll out its farmers health insurance scheme under the Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY).
Such initiatives clearly signify the growing importance of health insurance in India. With rising healthcare costs and lifestyle diseases, health insurance has rather become a necessity for all sections of the society.
The October issue of eHEALTH brings exclusive coverage of Health Insurance in India. The cover story features in-depth analysis of the growing market and interactions with leading industry stakeholders on the current challenges and opportunities. While the penetration of the market is currently small (10 percent of the total population in India), the World Bank has estimated it shall cover 50 percent of the population by 2015. The new IRDA guidelines and government schemes are catalysing the expansion.
The issue also brings a special focus on Hospital Acquired Infections that kill more people than any other form of accidental deaths. Globally, more than 1.4 million patients are affected in a year by HAIs. With a well-documented guide on the Dos and Dont for medical practitioners to avoid HAIs, the section delves deeper into the issue with interactions with experts.
Yet another concern is the pace at which diabetes is spreading in India. With the number of diabetics estimated to go up to 70 million by 2025, India is emerging as the Diabetes Capital of the World, likely to replace China soon. As the World Diabetes Day approaches on November 14th, we find out about the growing popularity of sugar monitoring devices. Technology is increasingly penetrating in the healthcare industry. We bring you emerging trends in healthcare IT and medical technology segments as well.

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