CGHS Has Become A Nightmare For Central Government Pensioners!
As GoI owes more than Rs. 500 Crores to Hospitals, many have withdrawn CGHS empanelment opines C. Srikumar, General Secretary, AIDEF
The Central Government Health Scheme popularly called as CGHS was established by the Government of India in 1954 with the objective to provide comprehensive Medical care to the Central Govt. Employees, their Family Members and also Pensioners and dependent Family Members.
Subsequently, the CGHS is extended to Ex-Governors, Ex-Vice Presidents, Former Prime Ministers, Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts, MPs, Ex-MPS and Freedom fighter also. They can avail Health Care benefit under the CGHS. The CGHS provide diversify Health Services through Allopathic, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathic systems of Medicines. The CGHs Wellness Centres are functioning in the major cities and towns. There are about 248 Allopathic Dispensaries, 19 poly clinics, apart from Ayush Dispensaries, 65 Laboratories and 17 Dental Units.
The CGHS recognizes many Private specialty and Multi Specialty Hospitals and the employees and pensioners who pay contribution to the scheme are eligible to take cashless treatment in these Hospitals and Diagnostic centres. Off late lot of media reports have started coming in the media, but for bad reasons. The CGHS empaneled Hospitals are refusing cashless treatments to the pensioners and asking them to pay the medical expenditure amount in advance to commence the treatment.
C. Srikumar, General Secretary/AIDEF told www.indianpsu.com and also the Standing Committee Member of National Council(JCM). His views are given below for the benefit of the viewers of www.indianpsu.com
CGHS is becoming a nightmare for the pensioners and family pensioners. About 38 Lakh CGHS beneficiaries are available in the country and the number is expected to go more and more, since we have demanded for opening CGHS wellness centres in almost all the Districts in the country.
The CGHS beneficiaries avail only outpatient treatment facilities at their CGHS wellness centres and for availing specialist and In-patient Treatments they are entitled for cashless treatment in CGHS empaneled Private Hospitals. Unfortunately now the situation is the CGHS empaneled Hospitals are refusing to give cashless treatment to the Pensioners & Family pensioners and are insisting for direct payment of the treatment charges in advance. They are refusing to admit the patients even in emergent situations.
According to media reports the Government of India has to pay more than Rs.500 Crores to these Hospitals. Therefore many of the CGHS Hospitals in the major cities like Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, etc., have withdrawn their CGHS empanelment.
Apart from the above, the present CGHS package rate for various treatment and procedures / investigations were fixed during the period 2014. These rates are not revised even after more than 8 years. Due to which the private hospitals are not interested to continue giving treatment for the Central Govt. Employees and the pensioners. New hospitals are also not applying for empanelment. We the Staffside of the National Council (JCM) have submitted many representations in this regard to the Health Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
However, there is no favourable response from the Ministry of Health. The major victims of the mess created in the CGHS are Pensioners & family pensioners who are required to take regular inpatient and outpatient treatment. The patient who required dialysis for survival is the worst affected. It is most unfortunate that the country is not taking care of the Health of the Central Govt. Pensioners who dedicated their whole life for serving the Government and the people of the country. The political bosses and the bureaucrats sitting in Nirman Bhawan in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, should become sensitive enough to address this major problem, otherwise a situation will come that even after contribution of a major amount in lumpsum by the pensioners & family pensioners they are left in lurch, for which all of us should be ashamed.
We have now decided to raise the level and to bring the entire matter to the notice of the Cabinet Secretary who is the Chairman of the National Council (JCM) for Central Government.
Employees.
