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WJHS - Working Journalist Health Scheme by Government of Andhra Pradesh

Team AckoFeb 18, 2025

The world is full of uncertainties. Accidents and illnesses can strike one down without warning. In case of such an unfortunate event, people need to be hospitalised. Not everyone can afford expensive medical treatment. Those who have enough savings can go ahead but then they have to face the challenge of managing their life without much savings.

This is where health insurance schemes can help people to keep their savings intact and take care of medical expenses. The Working Journalist Health Scheme is one such scheme that is promoted by the Andhra Pradesh Government. Read ahead to know details related to this welfare scheme.

Contents

What is the Working Journalist Health Scheme?
The Objective of Working Journalist Health Scheme
Eligibility for Working Journalist Health Scheme – YSRAHCT:
Features and Benefits of the Working Journalist Health Scheme:
Enrolment Process for Working Journalist Health Scheme:
Download Health Card for Working Journalist Health Scheme:
Working Journalist Health Scheme Hospitals Requirements:
List of Working Journalist Health Scheme Hospitals:
Patient Process Flow in WJHS:
WJHS Head Office and Helpline Number:
Claims Processing in WJHS by AP Govt.:
The bottom line
Frequently Asked Questions:
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What is the Working Journalist Health Scheme?

The Working Journalist Health Scheme, or WJHS as it is popularly referred to, is a cashless treatment scheme for all State Government Working Journalists. It is not just for the individuals but also for their family members that are dependent on them. Journalists can benefit from this scheme in case of listed therapies. They have to approach an empanelled hospital or a network hospital to avail the benefits associated with the scheme.

The Objective of Working Journalist Health Scheme

The Working Journalist Health Scheme aims to provide financial protection against health-related contingencies to accredited working journalists. The scheme alleviates the financial burden during medical crises by covering hospitalisation costs of journalists and their families. This is intended to provide socio-economic security.

The WJHS is a vital welfare measure instituted by State Governments for an essential segment of working professionals engaged in news dissemination. It recognizes challenges unique to journalism and enables access to healthcare for those who may otherwise struggle to afford quality treatment.

Eligibility for Working Journalist Health Scheme – YSRAHCT:

To understand the eligibility criteria for the Working Journalist Health Scheme AP, it is essential to have a basic awareness of the term – working journalist. The Working Journalist Act 1955 mentions a working journalist as a person whose vocation is that of a journalist, either part-time or full-time. The person can function in the role of an editor, sub-editor, feature writer, etc. but not be employed mainly in an administrative role or perform managerial functions. For this scheme, a State Government Journalist shall be a person as defined under Fundamental Rules.

Features and Benefits of the Working Journalist Health Scheme:

Here are the key highlights of the scheme.

Financial coverage of 50% of the amount will be offered by the government, the rest will be contributed by the journalist.
Cashless coverage in network hospitals.
Inclusion of dependent family members. Note that the nature of the dependency must meet the terms and conditions.
The benefit of in-patient treatment. Whether it's a planned treatment, an emergency surgery, or having a baby - inpatient services can really drive up costs, so the coverage is extremely valuable.
Post-discharge coverage for 30 days. Follow-up appointments, medications, or treatment during recovery from our hospital stay are covered.
Out-patient evaluation in case of listed therapies. Outpatient care is covered for some listed therapies and procedures like dialysis, radiation therapy or chemotherapy..
Follow-up services for a period of one year. Getting follow-up care is essential after many major treatments, but medical bills continue to stack up. So, that year of included follow-up consultations and exams is very reassuring.

Enrolment Process for Working Journalist Health Scheme:

Mentioned below is the stepwise process to enrol for the state government’s health scheme for the journalists.

Step 1 – The interested journalist should meet up with the respective District Public Relations Officer (DPRO) to initiate the enrolment process. Upon contact, the applicant should offer the necessary details needed for the registration.
Step 2 – After the DPRO receives the required details from the applicant, the DPRO should log in to the dedicated portal on the Working Journalist Health Scheme’s Portal.
Step 3 – Click the Registration button and select Adding Journalist to Scheme.
Step 4 – Mention journalist’s details such as first name, last name, department, designation, and district. Once done, click Submit. Upon successful submission, the screen will display this message – KDP1 Created Successfully.
Step 5 – Click Registration and select Add Basic Details of Accredited Journalist.
Step 6 – Fill the registration form with details that have not been auto-populated. The form needs: personal details, work-related details, identification details, and correspondence details. Aadhaar details need to be submitted as an attachment.
Step 7 – Add details of family members (optional).
Step 8 – Verify details and click Submit Application.
Step 9 – Upon successful submission, the screen will show this message – Application pending with the Information & Public Relations Department for approval.
Step 10 – Enrolment is successful after approval.

Also, read: Arogya Sanjeevani Policy

Download Health Card for Working Journalist Health Scheme:

Here’s how you can download the health card associated with the Andhra Pradesh Working Journalist Health Scheme.

Step 1 – Receive User ID and Password from the District Public Relations Officer or Information & Public Relations Department. The same can be received by dialling 104 and following the Sevakendram’s process.
Step 2 – Visit the WJHS Portal and login.
Step 3 – Change Password
Step 4 – Sign-in
Step 5 – Click Registration
Step 6 – Click Download Health Card

Working Journalist Health Scheme Hospitals Requirements:

Here are some basic details related to the hospitals that are a part of the scheme.

Health Care Providers:

A registered hospital or a nursing home in Andhra Pradesh is termed as a Health Care Provider. If the Health Care Provider meets the eligibility criteria set by Dr YSR Aarogyasri for empanelment, it becomes a part of the trust. When a hospital becomes empanelled, it comes to be known as a network hospital. There is an agreement between the trust and the hospitals regarding the settlement of payments as per the scheme.

The empanelment eligibility criteria covers various aspects such as infrastructure, medical capabilities, quality benchmarks, etc. Hospitals need advanced diagnostic facilities and equipment to provide treatment for covered therapies. They should have dedicated medical teams and specialists for different healthcare domains. Empaneled hospitals are regularly audited to ensure continuous compliance with WJHS requirements. The detailed empanelment process enables the scheme to onboard hospitals capable of dealing with medical emergencies and complex treatments.

Distribution of Network Hospitals:

Hospitals that want to be a part of the network hospitals need to have adequate facilities. For example, if a hospital has 50 beds, it should have specialities related to Surgery, Orthopedics, etc. Similarly, a multi-speciality hospital should offer super-speciality services like Cardiology, Neurology, etc.

Urban hospitals with advanced tertiary care provisions are also included in the network. Hospitals must reserve a percentage of beds, ensure adequate doctors and stock medicines, and provide timely treatment for WJHS beneficiaries. Strict distribution criteria prevent the concentration of hospitals in select cities and enable a broader reach of scheme benefits. It also assures people in remote areas that they will receive the same quality of care as those in metro cities without travelling far.

Network Hospital Requirements:

The requirements are related to infrastructure and equipment.

Here’s a list of infrastructure requirements:

Technically advanced facility with efficient diagnostic support. It can be in-house or be a part of a tie-up.
State-of-the art Operation Theatre.
50 in-patient medical beds
Pharmacy and Pantry.
Distinct General Wards (separate for male and female).
ICU, Post-operative ward with proper facilities
Blood bank facility. It can be in-house or a part of a tie-up.

Here’s a list of equipment requirements:

Sterilizers.
Casualty: Oxygen, suction, monitors.
Out-patient instruments as required based on the speciality.
Post-Operative Ward requirements: Bedside Monitors, Oxygen, Suction
For Intensive Care Unit: Monitors by the bed, Ventilators, Oxygen, Suction
Operation table, C-Arm, Endoscopes.

List of Working Journalist Health Scheme Hospitals:

Here’s how you can find out which hospitals are a part of the network hospital list when it comes to the Working Journalist Health Scheme.

Step 1 – Visit the YSR Arogyasri Website.
Step 2 – Select WJHS from the header.
Step 3 – Click on List of Empanelled Hospitals.
Step 4 – Select State from the drop-down menu.
Step 5 – Select District from the drop-down menu.
Step 6 – Select Speciality from the drop-down menu.
Step 7 – Click on Search.
Step 8 – View the table showcasing the location and the hospital name.
Step 9 – For more details, click ‘View’.

Patient Process Flow in WJHS:

A beneficiary of this scheme will have to follow the following flow to avail treatment at a network hospital.

Step 1 – Beneficiary approaches network hospital.
Step 2 – Registration.
Step 3 – Preliminary diagnosis.
Step 4 – Either Out-patient or In-patient registration.
Step 5 – In-patient case moves towards E-preauthorization and then to surgery.
Step 6 – Patient is discharged and follows-up if necessary.
Step 7 – Claim settlement as per the treatment, stated package rates and applicable terms and conditions.

Also, read: Corona Kavach and Corona Rakshak Insurance for COVID-19

WJHS Head Office and Helpline Number:

For issues pertaining to WJHS, you can reach out to the following touchpoints:

D.No. 25-16-116/B, Chuttugunta, Behind Gautam’s Hero Showroom, Guntur – 522004. Andhra Pradesh, India.
Phone No: 0863-2222802/2259861
CEO-Peshi: 0863-2259861(Ext:302)
Email: [email protected]

Claims Processing in WJHS by AP Govt.:

Cashless claims in WJHS are possible because of the smooth interaction between the network hospital and the Arogyasri trust. All settlements are done electronically. Before settling the claim amount, the authorities conduct a thorough verification including verifying the patient’s identity, checking pre-authorization limits, evidence related to the treatment availed. Any discrepancies regarding the verification process are handled between the network hospitals and the relevant authorities and the claim is settled accordingly.

The bottom line

The Working Journalist Health Scheme by the Andhra Pradesh government aims to provide accessible and affordable healthcare coverage to accredited state journalists and their families. Facilitating cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals for inpatient and certain outpatient services, it offers socio-economic protection against health contingencies that can adversely impact the productivity of this essential workforce.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Mentioned below are some of the frequently asked questions regarding the Working Journalist Health Scheme.

What is the Working Journalist Health Scheme (WJHS)?

It's a health insurance program by the Andhra Pradesh Government offering cashless treatment to state government-accredited journalists and their dependent family members.

Where can I find the list of procedures covered under the scheme?

You can find the list of procedures covered under the scheme by visiting YSR Arogyasri Website.

Which number should I dial if I have basic queries regarding the scheme?

You can dial the 104-medical helpline for basic queries.

Is there a way to check how a health card looks like?

You can check out a sample health card in here. It usually features the beneficiary’s photograph and personal information for identification. Such a card comes in handy at the time of registration in a network hospital.

What is the meaning of a de-empanelled hospital and where can I find the list of such hospitals?

De-empanelled hospitals are those care centres that are no longer a part of the scheme. such a list can be found on the website’s De-empanelled list section.

Is consultation a part of the follow-up coverage?

Consultation can be a part of the follow-up coverage provided it is for the therapies that are covered under the WJHS.

Which organisation handles the implementation of the scheme?

Dr YSR Aarogyasri Health Care Trust handles the WJHS under the supervision of the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Can an unemployed son who is less than 25 years of age qualify as a dependant as per the scheme?

Yes, such a person can qualify as a dependent. The documents required to establish dependency would be the son's ID proof establishing age and an affidavit declaring that he is unemployed and dependent

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