Aasandha Reform to Deduct Private Insurance First: Heena Waleed

National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) CEO Heena Waleed has announced upcoming changes to the Aasandha healthcare scheme, set to take effect before the end of the year. The key reform will ensure that any private insurance coverage held by a patient is utilized first before Aasandha benefits are applied.

Heena shared these details during an August parliamentary committee meeting, where she explained that the revision aims to prevent overlapping insurance claims. "Once the changes are made, medical expenses will be deducted from private insurance first, and only the remaining amount will be eligible for Aasandha coverage," Heena stated.

She added that drafts of the proposed amendments to Aasandha and welfare policies have been prepared and are expected to be submitted to the cabinet soon. Most of the administrative work related to these reforms is already underway, and the policies are expected to take effect by the end of the year.

In addition to these changes, a separate Aasandha policy is being developed for individuals who have other forms of insurance besides Aasandha.

These reforms are part of the government's broader efforts to curb unnecessary expenses in the Aasandha program, including the recent decision to procure medication in bulk to reduce costs.

According to the Ministry of Finance, Aasandha's expenses for the first half of this year totalled MVR 918 million—50% of the year's allocated budget of MVR 1.9 billion.