Health insurance for civil servants

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The government is likely to announce a health insurance scheme for civil servants in the near future.

According to outgoing Minister for General Administration, Yubaraj Karki, some procedural tasks have to be completed before Cabinet approval.

“The study report on health insurance has already been submitted to the Cabinet with the consensual decision of all the parties and concerned stakeholders,”said Minister Karki.

“Had there been a little more time for the government, the Cabinet would already have approved the proposal. Now, the decision depends on the next government,” added Karki.

In May, the government had, in principle, agreed to the proposal of the Ministry of General Administration (MoGA) to provide health insurance to civil servants, their spouses and children up to the age of 21 years.

With the objective of motivating civil servants towards duty, MoGA had floated the health insurance scheme that will cover not only the civil servants but also their family members.

According to the source at MoGA, the report has proposed health insurance up to Rs 500,000 for a family covering all hospitalisation expenses.

MoGA received expression of interest from different insurance companies for the health insurance scheme, which means the government will have to bear additional financial burden of around 550 to 600 million rupees annually.