Enrolment for Tibetan Medicare System (2017-2018) to open from January 1
By Lobsang Tenchoe
DHARAMSALA, Dec 14: The enrollment for Tibetan Medicare System (TMS) for 2017-2018 will open from Jan 1 – March 31, Central Tibetan Administration’s(CTA) Health Department said in its press release as TMS enters its sixth year.
In the release, CTA’s Health Department called for the Tibetan community members to enroll in the TMS Jan 1 – March 31 to avail the benefits.
“Most of us, at some point in our lives, will need to seek expensive healthcare services e.g. hospitalization or surgery. With the present day stress, sedentary life-styles and pollution, an increasing number of people are being diagnosed with heart ailment, cancer and other critical illness that are expensive to treat. A few days of hospitalization, major surgery or chemotherapy can cost lakhs of rupees,” the press release reads.
According to the Health Department, Health Insurance works by spreading the risk of healthcare expenses over a number of people so that the financial burden of unfortunate few who needs healthcare is shared by the many fortunate who remain healthy.
“Health Insurance protects us against unexpected financial loss. It empowers us to access and afford needed healthcare services. Each person in the community makes a small contribution and eventually, the community shares the burden of the large expense incurred for the hospitalization of one,” the press release added.
Tibetan Medicare System is a holistic Secondary and Tertiary Health Care Program meant for all Tibetan refugees under the direct cover of Tibetan Voluntary Health Association (TVHA), registered under the Societies Act 1860.
TMS is a nonprofit and charitable Health Plan that aims to improve public health and well-being of the Tibetan community in exile. The Department of Health launched TMS on 1st April 2012.
From April 1 to Nov 7, 2016, a total of 996 Tibetans received the benefit of TMS medical insurance. TMS has 24049 Tibetans enrolled in the 2016-17 across 37 different settlements and organizations in India. TMS has in total reimbursed Rs 10,803812/- (ten million eight hundred three thousand eight hundred twelve rupees) to its members.
