Prime Minister to launch schoolchildren’s Rs 200,000 Medical Insurance Scheme
View(s):The Insurance Scheme for Schoolchildren, providing Rs 200,000 Medical cover and other benefits, will be launched tomorrow by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told the Sunday Times that the Ministry has gone beyond the Insurance cover to introduce other benefits through the scheme.
- Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam
An estimated 4.5 million schoolchildren including those in International schools and private schools, will benefit from this scheme. Minister Kariyawasam explained they have been able to negotiate with private hospitals for a 20% discount for in-house treatment and a 20% discount on the channeling fees, for schoolchildren.
He said the scheme known as ‘Suraksha’ will be implemented through the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. The Policy cover for Rs 200,000 is for in-house medical treatment. The outdoor cover will be limited to Rs 10,000, and in the event of death, Rs. 10,000 paid for funeral expenses. In case of the death of a parent by accident, Rs 75,000 for the student or, any lifetime disablement in an accident, a maximum of Rs 100,000 will be paid. For partial disablement, between Rs 50,000 and Rs 100,000 will be offered.
Mr Kariyawasam said the primary objective of Suraksha is to ensure a 13-year continuous and compulsory school career, with assured medical treatment, as and when needed, to achieve this goal. He hoped this protection guaranteed to 4.5 million schoolchildren by the Yahapalanaya regime, will remain unchanged even by future Govts.
The Insurance scheme was pledged in the 2017 Budget.- Damith Wickremasekara