Govt expenditure on Aasandha, subsidies hike by 34%
Subsidy expenses have also increased, rising by MVR 800,000 compared to last year.
The government's expenditure on the Aasandha national health insurance scheme and subsidies has increased by 34%, despite its stated efforts to reduce spending in these areas.
According to the latest revenue and expenditure report from the Ministry of Finance, MVR 688 million has been spent on Aasandha and subsidies as of 13 February. This marks an increase of MVR 174.1 million compared to the same period last year.
The total budget allocation for Aasandha and subsidies for the year stands at MVR 3.7 billion.
Expenditure on Aasandha alone has increased by MVR 173.3 million. The breakdown is as follows:
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MVR 413.6 million has been spent on Aasandha so far this year.
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MVR 240.3 million was spent during the same period last year.
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The budget for Aasandha for the year is MVR 1.9 billion.
Since the last quarter of the previous year, the government has introduced measures aimed at reducing healthcare costs. These include:
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Controlling the price of medicines.
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Limiting Aasandha coverage for individuals with private insurance until their policies expire.
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Imposing restrictions on coverage for treatment at foreign hospitals.
Subsidy expenses have also increased, rising by MVR 800,000 compared to last year. So far, MVR 274.4 million has been spent on subsidies. The total budget allocated for subsidies for the year is MVR 1.9 billion.
