Kochi: The much-publicized Norka Care health insurance scheme, designed by Norka to provide health coverage for expatriates, has sparked discontent after revelations that nearly 14 lakh Malayali expatriates who have returned to Kerala will be excluded from its ambit.
The scheme, which officially begins on the 22nd of this month, is pitched as a safety net for 41.7 lakh non-resident Keralites (NRKs). However, only those currently living abroad and Malayalis residing outside Kerala qualify for membership. For thousands who returned home due to ill health, loss of employment, or retirement after years of hard work abroad, this exclusion has come as a heavy blow. Ironically, they are the very group most in need of medical coverage.
One of the major criticisms of the scheme is that expatriates still employed overseas already enjoy mandatory health coverage through the host country’s work permit system. This ensures healthcare access not only for the worker but also for their spouse and two children. By contrast, returnees many of whom struggle with ailments acquired through years of hard labor abroad remain outside the safety net.
Adding to the concerns, the parents of expatriates currently abroad have also been excluded from the scheme, even though they are among the most vulnerable due to age-related illnesses.
Another sticking point is the requirement of a valid NORKA identity card to access benefits. A significant number of returning expatriates do not hold this card, further pushing them away from eligibility. Expatriate organizations are now demanding that returning workers be issued NORKA cards without delay and included in the Norka Care framework.
Moreover, for expatriates abroad, the policy has limited usability. Since the insurance covers only hospitals in India, expatriates will have to fly back to Kerala to avail of treatment, diminishing the scheme’s practical benefits.
The health scheme consists of two major policies:
• Group Medi Claim Policy (GMC): Provides up to ₹5 lakh coverage for individuals or families against health issues.
• Group Personal Accident Policy (GPA): Offers up to ₹10 lakh coverage for accidents.
Eligibility extends to people aged 18 to 70. The scheme has tied up with 488 hospitals in Kerala and 16,167 hospitals across India.
The premium stands at ₹8,101 annually for an individual expatriate. A family package covering the expatriate, spouse, and two children costs ₹13,411, with each additional child requiring a premium of ₹4,130.
Expatriate organizations and welfare groups argue that sidelining the 14 lakh returnees who contributed enormously to Kerala’s economy and development through decades of remittances is unjust. They insist that both returning NRKs and the elderly parents of expatriates abroad must be included in the scheme.
They also stress that unless foreign hospitals are brought under the insurance network, the program risks becoming symbolic rather than genuinely beneficial to the expatriate community.