Nepal Health News, Kathmandu:From now on, citizens enrolled in the health insurance program will be able to directly receive primary health services from 377 healthcare institutions across the country. The Health Insurance Board has announced that this facility will be implemented starting from the Nepali month of Shrawan.
According to the Board’s Information Officer, Bikesh Mall, previously insured individuals could only access initial treatment from the nearest service center. However, now insured persons can receive services from any listed hospital that is convenient for them.
For example, an insured person residing in Jhapa can receive treatment from a listed service center located in Kanchanpur, Mall explained.
Additionally, after initial treatment, if further care is needed, individuals will have access to 98 referral hospitals for advanced treatment, he added.
So far, the Board has brought more than 9.4 million people under the coverage of the health insurance program. Furthermore, each local government has been requested to establish at least one primary service center.
The health insurance program was launched in 2015 (2072 B.S.) starting from Kailali district. The program primarily aims to provide affordable healthcare services to economically disadvantaged citizens.
Information Officer Mall has also urged local governments to submit details to the Board regarding which healthcare institutions in their area are required to be designated as primary service centers, in order to make service expansion more effective
