The North News
Chandigarh, January 6
The Punjab government has invited leading private hospitals to partner in the rollout of its forthcoming ₹10 lakh cashless health insurance scheme, a flagship initiative announced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to expand universal healthcare coverage across the state. Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Tuesday urged private healthcare providers to get empanelled under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY), saying their participation would be critical to ensuring that families can access quality treatment without financial hardship.
Speaking at a meeting with representatives of major private hospitals, Dr Balbir Singh said the scheme aims to remove cost barriers to medical care by offering a comprehensive insurance cover of ₹10 lakh per family. “Our objective is to ensure that no resident of Punjab is denied treatment because of lack of funds,” he said, describing the programme as a key step towards a more inclusive healthcare system.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Health Department’s principal secretary and the chief executive officer of the State Health Agency, who outlined the operational framework of the scheme. They addressed queries from hospital representatives on treatment packages, the empanelment process and the technical systems that will support cashless transactions. Officials said the government was encouraged by the response from prominent healthcare groups, including Max Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Shalby Hospital and Livasa Hospital, whose representatives expressed interest in joining the programme.
Dr Balbir Singh urged hospitals to complete empanelment at the earliest so that patients can begin availing services without out-of-pocket expenditure once the scheme is implemented. He said the MMSY had been designed to be transparent and efficient, with safeguards to ensure benefits reach people at the grassroots.
