BackgroundThe Government of Karnataka introduced a health insurance scheme for members of the cooperative societies wherein they pay a premium and in return they get free surgical care in any of the empanelled hospitals.

Aims and Objectives

The main aim of the study was to analyse the protective effect of the Yeshasvini scheme in terms of reduction in OOP expenses.

Methods

Patients who benefited from the scheme were interviewed  to study the extent to which the scheme was protecting the patients from out of pocket expenditure.

Key Findings

Most of the Yeshasvini patients incurred OOP expenses at the time pf hospitalization as the hospitals insisted that the patients purchase medicines and consumables form the private pharmacies or pay consultation fees to the doctors.