Dr V Sivadasan, MP, has urged the Kerala government to roll back the hike in premiums under the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) Care health insurance scheme and ensure affordable coverage for expatriates. He has written to Chief Minister V D Satheesan, seeking an urgent review of the revised rates.

Sivadasan said the age-based hike had placed a heavy financial burden on elderly expatriates and those who had returned to Kerala after ending their overseas careers.

According to figures cited by the MP, the annual premium for a ₹5 lakh family floater policy has risen from ₹13,411 to ₹35,664 for those aged 51-60, and from ₹44,718 to ₹77,773 for the 61-70 age group. He warned that the steep hike could force many ordinary expatriate workers to give up their insurance coverage.

Pointing to the contributions of expatriate Malayalis to Kerala's economic growth and social progress, Sivadasan said the government had a responsibility to safeguard their health in old age, after years of work overseas.

He called for an immediate review of the revised rates to ensure that elderly and low-income expatriates do not lose coverage because of their inability to afford the higher premiums.