Sonia Gandhi to launch 'Aarogyasri-II' in AP

Hyderabad, Jun 17 (UNI) UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will formally launch 'Aarogyasri-II,' a scheme for providing free treatment for all diseases, in the state on July 17, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said today.

Holding a review meeting on the scheme, he said so far 18 districts were covered under 'Aarogyasri-I'. Ms Gandhi would also launch 'Aarogyasri-I' in five more districts on the same day at a separate health camp in Prakasam district, he said.

He said 'Aarogyasri-II' would provide free treatment to all diseases for which treatment were not available with the government hospitals, an official release said here.

All BPL families, who were having Aarogyasri Health Card/BPL ration card, would be eligible for free treatment at all networked hospitals, he said, adding, the scheme would be implemented by the Aarogyasri Trust.

The Revenue Department would pay to Aarogyasri Trust in advance to ensure payments to hospitals within one week of the claim of treatments under Aarogyasri-II, he said.

Dr Reddy said the entire state would be covered under the scheme before October two this year.

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