Xjfhcgv
Harvard Case Study
Karnataka
Yashaswini Health Insurance Scheme
1. Background
Approximately less than one sixth of India's billion people have access to affordable healthcare. For the rest, medical help is often inaccessible and beyond their means. Too often, the cost of staying alive pushes one quarter of Indians below the poverty line[i] and hospitalization can result in years of debt repayment, so that rural indebtedness caused by illness is frequently far greater than that caused by crop failure.
The southern state of Karnataka has a significant rural population, where approximately 56% of the labor workforce is engaged in agricultural and related activities. Despite the many hospitals and medical colleges found throughout the state, the bed occupancy rate in the last few decades has been as low as 35% and a large number of people who require hospital treatment have been dying, simply because they cannot afford to seek treatment.
The overarching challenge for the government of Karnataka has been to provide these disenfranchised segments of the population access to affordable healthcare in a sustainable manner. Proposals for viable solutions have focused on insurance models capable of supporting millions across India's rural areas through large networks of hospitals and clinics. Although a variety of low cost health insurance models have been initiated over the past decade, many have failed due to lack of commitment, sustainability and coverage. One such model, however – the Yashaswini Health Insurance scheme has met with success and is providing a blueprint for future successes in health coverage for the poor.
2. Key Players
a) Government of Karnataka, Department of Cooperation
b) The Yashaswini Health Trust
c) The Narayana Hrudayala Foundation
3. Choice of regulation/regulatory program
The Yashaswini Health Insurance scheme, launched in 2003 by the Government of Karnataka was a landmark initiative addressing the major health concerns
Karnataka
Yashaswini Health Insurance Scheme
1. Background
Approximately less than one sixth of India's billion people have access to affordable healthcare. For the rest, medical help is often inaccessible and beyond their means. Too often, the cost of staying alive pushes one quarter of Indians below the poverty line[i] and hospitalization can result in years of debt repayment, so that rural indebtedness caused by illness is frequently far greater than that caused by crop failure.
The southern state of Karnataka has a significant rural population, where approximately 56% of the labor workforce is engaged in agricultural and related activities. Despite the many hospitals and medical colleges found throughout the state, the bed occupancy rate in the last few decades has been as low as 35% and a large number of people who require hospital treatment have been dying, simply because they cannot afford to seek treatment.
The overarching challenge for the government of Karnataka has been to provide these disenfranchised segments of the population access to affordable healthcare in a sustainable manner. Proposals for viable solutions have focused on insurance models capable of supporting millions across India's rural areas through large networks of hospitals and clinics. Although a variety of low cost health insurance models have been initiated over the past decade, many have failed due to lack of commitment, sustainability and coverage. One such model, however – the Yashaswini Health Insurance scheme has met with success and is providing a blueprint for future successes in health coverage for the poor.
2. Key Players
a) Government of Karnataka, Department of Cooperation
b) The Yashaswini Health Trust
c) The Narayana Hrudayala Foundation
3. Choice of regulation/regulatory program
The Yashaswini Health Insurance scheme, launched in 2003 by the Government of Karnataka was a landmark initiative addressing the major health concerns