Govt plans deduction from payments made to hospitals under health insurance scheme

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is considering deducting a portion from payments made to public sector hospitals under the free health insurance program, known as Sehat Card Plus (SCP). Health Minister Khaliqur Rehman disclosed this to Dawn, stating that the plan, along with other improvements, will be presented to the cabinet for approval. The proposal aims to strengthen oversight to ensure funds are allocated to deserving patients and prevent suffering.

Rehman also mentioned plans to expand the SCP services to the local level, with the program's budget increasing from Rs35 billion in 2025 to Rs41 billion. The Sehat Card Plus program was initially launched in 2015, initially covering just 3% of the population in four districts before expanding to 51% in 2016, then 69% in 2017, and finally achieving universal 100% coverage across the entire province in 2020.

Over the past, the provincial government has spent more than Rs155 billion on providing free medical services to 5.7 million patients in designated hospitals.

The program is implemented through the State Life Insurance Corporation, with 1,000 empanelled hospitals across the country, including 10.6 million families eligible for treatment up to Rs1 million per year. Public hospitals receive funds from the government, while doctors, nurses, and other staff receive salaries, making the deduction from their income a logical step.

The department is already working on amending the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universal Health Act, 2020, to provide legal backing for the plan. The amended Act would retain 20% of the total income from public hospitals to improve healthcare services and staff incentives.