Poor enrollment of persons with disabilities in niramaya health insurance scheme over a decade under the indian national trust

Abstract

Background: Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme is offered for persons with disabilities (PwD) under the National Trust Act, 1999, since 2008. There is less awareness among health professionals, PwD, and caregivers about this. Aims: The aim of the study was to study the number of enrolled PwD in the Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme across the country since its inception. Methods: Annual reports of the National Trust were available in the public domain, and information obtained from the National Trust was used for analysis. Results: Total enrollments have steadily increased from 36,153 (2008–2009) to 96,716 (2018–2019). Madhya Pradesh state accounted for more than two-thirds of total enrollments in the year 2018–2019, and enrollments from many other states and union territories are lesser than 100. Conclusions: After a decade of its launch, less than a fraction of eligible PwD is enrolled in the scheme. Multipronged efforts are needed to promote the enrollment and utilization of the benefits of the Scheme.

Keywords

• autism
• cerebral palsy
• health insurance
• intellectual disability
• multiple disability
• national trust
• niramaya