Ayushman Bharat, the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme for the poorest of the poor, will now provide medical cover to transgenders and support medical intervention like sex-change operations.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM- JAY) provides a medical cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per epoch for free treatment at all public and registered private hospitals. This benefit will now be extended to transgenders under the government’s new scheme, Support for Marginalised Existents for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE). The health cover will include medical support and medical intervention.
The ministry of social justice and authorization will roll out SMILE on October 12. The scheme has two sub-schemes-Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons and the Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons engaged in the act of praying. The dome scheme will cover several measures, including weal measures for both transgenders persons and persons who are engaged in the act of soliciting, with focus considerably on recovery, provision of medical establishments, humanity, education, skill development, moneymaking liaison with the support of state governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The Centre has reserved Rs 500 crore for a five- span weal plan for transgender persons.