The decision to link Aarogyasri with private insurance must be withdrawn immediately, demands APCC president YS Sharmila. | Photo credit: File Photo
APCC president YS Sharmila on Sunday claimed that the state government’s demand for the Universal Health Scheme to provide free insurance to about 5 lakh people was a hoax.
“2.5 lakh health insurance claim is a blatant fraud. This is a conspiracy to kill Aarogyasri,” she wrote on X. She accused the TDP-led coalition government of paving the way for the privatization of the health system.
Asserting that private insurance would bring burdens and not benefits, Ms. Sharmila accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of derailing the Aarogyasri scheme, which she said was a lifeline for the poor.
“When the government is not willing to allocate ₹ 4,000 crore annually for Aarogyasri payments, where will it find thousands of crores to pay up front to insurance companies, what does the insurance cover of ₹ 2.5 lakh mean and why should the expenditure beyond that amount be met by the NTR Vaidya Seva Trust?” she asked.
The APCC boss pointed out that states that have introduced private insurance are moving back to the government trust model and demanded that the state government clarify its intention to introduce private insurance. She said Mr Naidu should explain what benefits would come from replacing Aarogyasri with private insurance.
“Aarogyasri, the brainchild of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy, is a bailout scheme for the poor. The decision to link Aarogyasri with private insurance must be withdrawn immediately,” she demanded. She said the government should run the scheme on a trust model and also demanded immediate release of ₹3,000 crore of pending dues to hospitals.
Published – 01 March 2026 20:30 IST
