With improved infrastructure and facilities, it is more likely that the cost of treatments, hospitalisation, medications, etc., will gradually increase across India.

Keeping that in mind, the Indian Government, in association with the states, has launched several health insurance schemes to facilitate the underprivileged sections. Among them, Karunya Insurance Scheme was a special initiative taken by the Kerala Government with the purpose of providing quality healthcare to the poverty-stricken section of the society.

Wondering how this will help you? Scroll down to know.

Back in 2012, the UDF Government launched this healthcare scheme for the first time. Here the sole purpose was to help people suffering from critical illnesses with substantial treatment coverage. Under the Karunya Health Scheme, each family should receive a health cover of ₹5 lakhs per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

Do you know how such a huge amount is arranged for this scheme?

Well, the funding comes from the Kerala lottery so that beneficiaries can pay a nominal premium charge to avail of the benefits.

Some of the prime features of the Karunya Health Scheme include:

• Initially, when this health insurance scheme was introduced, the policyholders were able to get their treatment done only from the government hospitals. Later several private hospitals were empanelled where better infrastructure and facilities helped in improving the treatment process.
• The Kerala Government has allocated ₹250 crores for this particular scheme. Therefore, beneficiaries can easily claim medicine charges, doctor’s fees, hospitalisation charges, important tests, ICU and operation costs, etc.
• All the updated information is available in the official online portal, which can be used for Karunya Health Insurance registration as well. Here, applicants can also find the claiming procedure, network hospitals, and other necessary details.
• You can check the hospital list and applicable dates on the website by choosing your location.

These are some of the salient Karunya Health Scheme features.

Here are some compelling benefits of the Karunya Health Scheme that you need to know.

• One of the key advantages of this scheme is that even if your treatment charges exceed the estimated amount, you will receive a reimbursement for that.
• The scheme provides coverage for some of the critical diseases, for instance- 
  • Cancer
  • Kidney diseases 
  • Hemophilia
  • Heart diseases, transplant surgeries
  • Palliative care
  • Brain and liver surgery
  • Serious respiratory illness

Also, note that the government provides monetary benefits up to ₹2 lakhs for such diseases. However, the amount can also be increased up to ₹3 lakhs, depending on the severity of your illness.

The Government of Kerala has set certain eligibility parameters for the Karunya Health Insurance Scheme. For instance:

• Only applicants below the poverty line can apply for the scheme. All the APL and BPL families with annual income below ₹3 lakhs will be eligible for this.
• Those who are applying for this healthcare plan should keep the required documents handy.
• The applicant must be a resident of Kerala in order to avail of these aforementioned benefits.

Make sure to go through the Karunya Health Scheme eligibility criteria and check if you meet these parameters before considering the scheme.

With easy access to internet facilities, applying for any health insurance scheme has become pretty convenient. In this case, you can easily apply through the official website launched by the Kerala Government. 

Here are the steps you need to follow.

Step 1: Visit the online portal at http://karunya.kerala.gov.in. to begin your application process.

Step 2: Right on the home page, you will find a section called ‘How to Apply,’ click on it to download the application form.

Step 3: Make sure to provide your details carefully and submit them along with the necessary documents.

You can also use the ‘Application Tracking’ option to keep checking your application status. Alternatively, you can check your name on the ‘List of Beneficiaries’ option, available on the home page.

During the Karunya Arogya Insurance registration process, you will need to submit the following list of documents:

• Identity proof: Some basic ID proof like an Aadhaar card and Voter ID will be required to prove that you are a Kerala resident.
• Residential details: The original copy of your residential proof should be submitted.
• BPL card: As this scheme is mainly for the underprivileged section of the society, applicants need to provide some evidence to justify that. And for the BPL cardholders, it is mandatory to submit the document while registering online to use the Karunya Health Insurance Scheme benefits.
• Income certificate: Based on your annual income, the Kerala Government will decide whether you are eligible for the scheme or not. Therefore, make sure to keep all the documents containing your income details handy when you are applying for the healthcare plan.

Apart from these, a copy of your Ration card, passport-size photo, and estimate of the total amount spent at the hospital, should also be submitted along with your application form.

India’s healthcare system is slowly improving with the emergence of so many government-backed schemes and advanced infrastructure. Schemes like the Karunya Insurance plan ensure that people struggling to arrange funds for such expensive treatments can get proper assistance to get through such situations.

However, you need to be a little technologically active in order to apply for the scheme and check all the necessary details available on their official website. So, go ahead, fill up your form, and make proper use of Karunya Health Scheme benefits.