bill no xc of 2010 the health insurance for persons living below poverty line bill, 2010 a billto provide for health insurance for the benefit of persons living below poverty line and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto be it enacted by parliament in the sixty-first year of the republic of india as follows:1 (1) this act may be called the health insurance for persons living below povertyline act, 2010short title, extent and commencement(2) it shall extent to the whole of india2 in this act, unless the context otherwise requires,—definitions(a) "person living below poverty line" means any person, whose annual income from all sources is less than rupees fifty thousand; and(b) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act53 the central government shall frame a health insurance scheme for persons living below poverty linehealth insurance scheme4 (1) the central government shall, through the state government or the union territory administration, as the case may be, issue a health card to every citizen living below poverty linehealth card to persons living below poverty line10(2) the health card shall contain the details such as name and age, address, detailsof family members, annual income and such other information of the citizen living below poverty line as may be prescribed5 any citizen, who is entitled to a health card but has not been issued the same, may approach the district administration, which shall, after necessary verification, issue the health card15citizens to approach district administration if card is not issued6 (1) any person, who has been issued a health card, may approach any hospital, including a privately run hospital for treatment of self or any of his family members, whose name has been included in the health cardright of health cardholders to get treatment from hospitals20(2) the hospital shall make entries in the health card regarding the total expenditure incurred by it in the treatment of the cardholder or his family and shall also provide the prescribed medicines free of cost(3) the hospital shall not charge any fees from the cardholder for his treatment or any of his family members and send a copy of the detailed expenses to the central government in such manner as may be prescribed257 the total expenditure on the treatment in respect of a health cardholder and his family members shall not exceed rupees twenty-five thousand per year:limit of expenditure on the treatment of cardholdersprovided that the cardholder may submit an application in the form as may beprescribed, to the central government for enhancing the limit in case of any critical illness and the central government may allow an enhanced expenditure for the treatment of a particular disease308 subject to the provisions of section 7, no hospital shall refuse treatment to any cardholder, on the ground that the cardholder has not made any advance deposit with the hospital for treatmenthospitals not to refuse treatment to cardholderspenalty forviolation359 if any hospital refuses to treat any cardholder or member of his family without anyvalid reason, the central government shall issue directions for cancellation of the license of the hospitalprocedure for reimbursement10 the hospital shall make its claim for reimbursement of expenses in connectionwith treatment of a cardholder or a member of his family to the central government in such manner as may be prescribed40reimbursement to be made within a month11 the central government on receipt of a claim under section 10, shall processthe same and reimburse the expenses within a month of receipt of the claim to the hospital concerned12 (1) every cardholder shall be insured for a sum of rupees twenty-five thousandlife insurance of the cardholder45(2) the amount of insurance shall be paid to a nominee of the cardholder in case ofhis death(3) the premium for insurance of the cardholder shall be paid by the central government13 the central government may, be notification in the official gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of the actpower to make rules statement  of  objects  and  reasonspoor people cannot afford treatment in hospitals as it has become a costly affairhuge crowds in government hospitals discourage elderly, physically challenged persons and women from taking treatment there as a result, they are left uncared and unattended for want of medical treatment even in government hospitals, they have to spend money for purchasing medicines, etcindia being a welfare state, care has to be taken by the government for under-privileged sections of the society it is proposed to provide that persons living below poverty line may be allowed to take treatment in hospitals including private hospitals and there is also a provision for their life insurancethis, it is hoped, will mitigate the hardship of the poor people to some extent who die for want of the medical treatmenthence, this billavtar  singh  karimpuri financial  memorandumclause 3 of the bill provides for health insurance scheme for all persons living below poverty line clause 4 provides for issuance of health cards to all persons living below poverty line to enable them to take treatment in hospitals clause 11 provides for reimbursement of expenses by the central government to the hospitals concerned there is also a provision for life insurance of the cardholder under clause 12this bill, therefore, if enacted, would involve expenditure from the consolidated fund of india it is likely to involve a recurring expenditure of about rupees five thousand crore per annuma non-recurring expenditure of about rupees one thousand crore will also be involved for issuing health cards memorandum  regarding  delegated  legislationclause 13 of the bill gives power to the central government to make rules for carrying out the provisions of the billas the rules will relate to matter of details only, the delegation of legislative power is of normal character rajya  sabha———— a billto provide for health insurance for the benefit of persons living below poverty line and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto————(shri avtar singh karimpuri, mp)gmgipmrnd—6692rs(s3)—28-02-2011