Students Insurance payment doubles this year- MoE
View(s):The ‘Suraksha’ students insurance launched last year, will be strengthened this year with twice the amount paid for medical treatment.
The current payment of Rs 100,000 for hospital admission, permanent disability and demise of a parent, serious injuries caused by accidents etc. will be increased to Rs 200,000, said Director of Education- (Health & Nutrition), Ms Renuka Peiris.
Out-Patient Dept (OPD) treatment will increase from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. For serious illness such as heart problems, cancer, kidney diseases etc., it will be over Rs 200,000. Additionally, ‘Suraksha’ will also cover the purchase of spectacles, hearing aids and dental-care. “Cost of Medical tests such as CT scans, MRI scans, etc. can be reimbursed, if applied for before September 30, through a refund form,” Ms Peiris said.
“While the insurer in the first year was Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, bids will be called from others as well, so that additional facilities can be given to the students,” she said. The Ministry of Education under the directions of its Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, started ‘Suraksha’ last year, covering schoolchildren islandwide, with around 25,000 students covered.
Parents of these children do not pay anything for this insurance scheme as related payments are borne by the Government. For this year too, a sum of Rs 2.7 billion has been allocated for this Insurance scheme. - Damith Wickremasekera