Government Cheating People in the Name of Universal Health Scheme: YS Sharmila

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President YS Sharmila on Sunday strongly criticised the Universal Health Scheme (UHS) being implemented in the state, alleging that the government is “blatantly cheating” people in the name of providing health insurance coverage of ₹2.5 lakh. She charged that the new policy had been introduced solely to weaken the Aarogyasri scheme , which had served as a lifeline for the poor.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Sharmila recalled that the Aarogyasri scheme, regarded as the brainchild of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, had been functioning effectively under the trust model. She alleged that the government is implementing UHS only to benefit private insurance companies. “While other states are moving towards the trust model instead of involving insurance companies, what is the reason behind our state government taking a different route?” she asked, adding that the conditions imposed by private insurers would place an additional burden on the poor and amount to the government abdicating its responsibility.

Sharmila questioned how a government that is unwilling to spend ₹4,000 crore annually under Aarogyasri could afford to funnel thousands of crores of rupees to private insurance companies. She termed it “reckless” to place the state exchequer in private hands and demanded the immediate release of ₹3,000 crore in pending dues to hospitals under the scheme. Alleging that network hospitals are reluctant to provide services due to unpaid bills, she said common people’s lives were “hanging by a thread” as a result.

She further criticised the government’s announcement that insurance coverage would extend up to ₹2.5 lakh, with expenses beyond that to be borne by the trust, stating that there is no clarity on the arrangement. “Aarogyasri is not merely a scheme; it is a lifeline for the poor. The government must immediately withdraw its decision to link it with private insurance,” she demanded, insisting that medical services should continue to be delivered through the trust model and that there should be no compromise on providing free healthcare to the poor under any circumstances.