Shimla– The Himachal Pradesh government is preparing to bring major changes to the Himachal Health Care Scheme (Himcare) as part of efforts to reduce its rising financial burden. The Congress government is working on a new format of the scheme, under which the premium for income tax payers and well-off beneficiaries is likely to increase. At the same time, the validity of Himcare cards may be reduced from three years to one year.
The proposal to amend the scheme has been prepared on the recommendations of the cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri. The committee was formed to review the Ayushman Bharat, Himcare, and Sahara schemes and suggest reforms to make them financially sustainable.
The Himcare scheme was launched in 2019 to provide affordable health coverage to people from weaker sections, including those below the poverty line, widows, and orphans. At the time, the annual premium was fixed at Rs 1,000, and cards were issued only from January to March each year, with a one-year validity period. This structure continued until March 2022.
Just before the 2022 assembly elections, the previous BJP government made significant changes by extending the validity to three years and expanding the scheme to include general categories such as employees and business owners. Since then, a large number of people from better-off sections have joined Himcare to avail of low-cost medical treatment.
Officials say this has added to the government’s financial stress. Currently, the state faces pending liabilities of Rs 350 crore under Himcare and another Rs 100 crore under Ayushman Bharat. Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, about five lakh families are enrolled. While the central government provides Rs 48 crore annually, the state’s share of 10 percent takes the total contribution to around Rs 55 crore, whereas the actual hospital bills have touched nearly Rs 80 crore.
The cabinet sub-committee has suggested that higher premiums should be charged from income tax payers to make the scheme more balanced. Returning the validity to one year is also expected to help the government manage renewals and expenses more effectively. The idea of restricting new Himcare card registrations to the first three months of the year is also being considered once again.
Sources said the government has almost finalized the proposal and is likely to present it before the cabinet for approval soon. The move is also aimed at clearing the pending payments to medical colleges and hospitals, which have been awaiting reimbursements under the scheme.
If implemented, the changes are likely to impact the middle-class and salaried groups, many of whom have been using Himcare benefits since the eligibility was widened in 2022. However, officials argue that these amendments are necessary to keep the scheme running without pushing the state further into debt.
