Tamil Nadu announces health insurance for 38 lakh senior citizens
Tamil Nadu launches health insurance for 38 lakh elderly, plus major health reforms and new posts.
The Tamil Nadu government will launch the 'Chief Minister's Elderly Health Insurance Scheme' to provide free medical treatment to nearly 38 lakh senior citizens aged 70 and above. Health Minister K.G. Arunraj announced the scheme in the Assembly on Monday, stating that it will cover cancer care, advanced cardiac surgeries, organ transplants, and high-end diagnostics at empanelled government and private hospitals, with no income ceiling.
The announcement was part of 115 measures for the Health Department, with a total outlay of ₹2,997 crore. The initiatives span policy reforms, universal free health services, recruitment, infrastructure, equipment, and digital health programmes.
In a significant policy shift, the 87-year-old Tamil Nadu Public Health Act of 1939 will be replaced with a modern, comprehensive law. The new Act will address contemporary and future health challenges, and will make unsupervised home births outside hospitals a punishable offence.
The government also unveiled plans for 'TN Medicity', a world-class integrated medical hub combining clinical services, research, medical tourism, and AYUSH. An initial ₹10 crore has been allocated for preparing a detailed project report.
Under the 'Nalam 360-Annual Free Health Check-up for All' scheme, every person aged 30 and above will receive 14 basic tests annually at 1,257 government health facilities. Tests include blood pressure, ECG, haemoglobin, blood sugar, cholesterol, and VIA screening. For the first time, home-based diagnostic services will be introduced in metropolitan areas through a public-private partnership model.
To address staffing shortages, 2,500 permanent staff nurse posts will be created, and contract nurses will be absorbed into regular pay scales. Additionally, 1,695 nursing posts on consolidated pay will be added at a cost of ₹42.72 crore. The department will recruit 3,594 medical staff across 24 categories, and create 284 temporary super-speciality posts in fields like neurology, cardiology, and nephrology to extend advanced care to district-level hospitals.
A 'Positive Health Policy' will be developed to promote holistic wellbeing, supported by a 'Nalam 360' mobile app. New legislation will also be introduced to establish institutions of state importance for world-class medical services.