Team Goemkarponn
Panaji:The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Goa, has demanded that the BJP-led state government introduce a ₹10 lakh universal cashless health insurance scheme for all Goans, on the lines of the Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) implemented by the AAP government in Punjab.
Addressing the media in Panjim on Friday, AAP leaders said healthcare costs in Goa have risen sharply, forcing families into financial distress and debt after a single serious illness. They criticised the BJP government’s Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY), terming it inadequate and limited in scope.
AAP pointed out that DDSSY provides only ₹2.5 lakh coverage for families of up to three members and ₹4 lakh for families with four or more members, with coverage restricted to 447 medical procedures. In contrast, Punjab’s MMSY offers ₹10 lakh cashless treatment per family per year, with no income cap or exclusion criteria, covering over 2,350 treatment packages including major surgeries, cancer treatment, cardiac care, dialysis, transplants, ICU services, diagnostics, medicines, and pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses.
AAP state president Valmiki Naik said Goa, despite being a smaller state, can easily implement a similar universal healthcare scheme if there is political will. “The BJP government lacks the political will to bring real change. Only an honest AAP government can give Goans a ₹10 lakh health cover,” he said.
Highlighting the Punjab model, AAP leaders noted that it ensures eligibility for all residents including government employees and pensioners, empanels over 850 government and private hospitals, guarantees hospital payments within 15 days, and provides door-to-door enrolment to ensure universal coverage.
AAP leader Sandesh Teleikar Dessai questioned the BJP government’s commitment to public welfare, stating, “One major illness can wipe out a family’s lifetime savings. If an AAP government can give ₹10 lakh health cover, why can’t the BJP government do the same in Goa?”
AAP demanded that the Goa government immediately upgrade DDSSY to ₹10 lakh universal cashless coverage, expand the list of covered procedures, and empanel more private hospitals to ensure meaningful access to healthcare.
Reiterating that healthcare is a right and not a privilege, AAP said it will continue to raise the issue both inside and outside the Assembly until every Goan receives dignified and affordable healthcare.
