According to Finance Advisor Muzzammil Aslam, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is considering establishing its own insurance company. This proposed company would oversee various insurance initiatives, including the Sehat Card Plus program.
In November, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur suggested that the government is also exploring the inclusion of life insurance in the Sehat Card scheme. While Aslam did not directly reference it, the decision appears to stem from previous disputes between the provincial government and the State Life Insurance Company (SLIC), which currently handles treatment expenses under Sehat Card Plus.
Background on Disputes with SLIC
In September 2024, SLIC temporarily suspended services due to delayed payments from the provincial government, only resuming operations after receiving assurances of payment. Similarly, in May 2023, the provincial government suspended services due to a lack of funds.
Focus on Transparency
To enhance transparency, Aslam announced the introduction of a biometric verification system for Sehat Card Plus. “This system will help reduce corruption risks,” he said. Over the past nine months, the provincial government has allocated more than Rs30 billion to the program.
By December 2024, nearly 700,000 patients had benefitted from free treatment under provincial health initiatives, with women outnumbering men in utilizing Sehat Card Plus benefits, according to Dawn News.
Increased Revenues for Public Hospitals
Public sector hospitals have reported a significant increase in revenue since the implementation of the Sehat Card Plus program. This rise is attributed to restrictions placed on private hospitals, barring them from performing certain procedures after allegations of unnecessary treatments.
Patients had previously complained that private hospitals were performing surgeries like tonsillectomy, cataract removal, appendectomy, angiography, and cholecystectomy without genuine medical necessity. In response, the government restricted these procedures, along with cesarean deliveries, septoplasty, and submucosal resections, to be performed only in public hospitals under the Sehat Card Plus program.
A report from last year revealed that public hospitals earned over Rs12 billion due to these restrictions, significantly boosting their income.
