Tamil Nadu raises health insurance cover to Rs 25 lakh, announces new hospital

In an announcement under Rule 110 in the Assembly, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay said the annual coverage under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) would be raised from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. He stated that medical care is a fundamental right, not a privilege, and the government aims to remove barriers to quality healthcare regardless of income or location. The chief minister also announced that a multi-speciality 400-bed hospital of international standards would be built in Perambur, North Chennai. In addition, support for transgender individuals for specialised medical and surgical services under the state insurance scheme will be provided at seven government medical college hospitals, including those in Chennai, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, and Kanyakumari.