Panaji, June 13 (IANS) One of India's biggest health insurance operators, ICICI Lombard Health Insurance Company (ICICI LHIC), will insure nearly 3.5 lakh households in Goa as part of the state government's universal health insurance scheme, a minister said Monday.

Goa Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane told reporters that ICICI LHIC surpassed six other bidders, including National Insurance Company (NIC) and Tata AIG, to bag the tender.

The universal insurance scheme will be implemented from September this year.

"According to the universal healthcare insurance scheme, all Goan households with less than five members would be covered for primary and secondary health care up to Rs.60,000 annually," Rane said, adding that the scheme was entirely state-financed.

"We will be providing cashless cards to the beneficiaries, who can, after September, enter any of the empanelled hospitals and get treatment up to the covered amount free of cost," Rane said.

He added that only those living in Goa for the last five years are eligible for the scheme.

"Goa is the first state to have such a universal insurance scheme," he said.