Difficulties faced by serving employees in respect of CGHS: Confederation writes to Secretary Health, MoH&FW

Difficulties faced by serving employees in respect of CGHS: Confederation writes letter to Secretary Health, MoH&FW

No./Confd-CGHS-2021

Dated : 25th November, 2021

To

The Secretary Health,
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,
Government of India,
Nirman Bhawan,
New Delhi-110001

Sub Difficulties faced by serving employees in respect of CGHS-reg.

Sir,

We would like to draw your kind attention to the following issues pertaining to serving employees in respect of CGHS issues.

2. The inpatient treatment in the empanelled hospitals of CGHS now a days has been difficult as the private empanelled hospitals are refusing to admit the serving employees and pensioners as the revision of CGHS rates has been carried out seven years ago and no revision of CGHS rates has been done in the recent times and many hospitals are not adhering to the 2014 CGHS rates. Even if they admit they are charging as excess amount from the patient. Similar situation is in the case of Diagnostic Laboratory & Dental Clinic.

3. If the Government does not consider revision of CGHS rates early, which were fixed in the year 2014, there may be chances of many more empanelled hospitals withdrawing themselves from the Central Government Health Scheme and it is our apprehension that, in the near future , there may not be many empanelled hospitals, Diagnostic Centres and Dental Clinics to cater to the needs of CG employees and pensioners. While many of the empanelled hospitals have expressed orally that, if the rates fixed by the Government in the year 2014 were not revised immediately, they may have to withdraw the facilities extended of the CGHS beneficiaries.

For instances;

4. As on 1st April 2021 there were only 19 empanelled hospitals in Bengaluru for providing General and specialized treatment, 21 empanelled hospitals for eye treatment, only 4 Nos of Diagnostic Laboratory, only 3 Nos Dental Clines, only 2 Ayurvedic treatment centres are there in Bangaluru. Out of these Private Empanelled Hospitals, Diagnostic Centres & Dental Clinic removed from list of empanelled HOCs recently in Bengaluru were 1, Manipal Hospital, 2. Malyn Hospital, 3. Vikram Hospital , 4. Dr. MC Modi Eye Hospital, 5. Kanva Diagnostic Laboratory, 6. Anand Diagnostic Laboratory and 7. Chinmayi Dental Clinic.

5. Now the number of empanelled hospitals , Dental Clinics & Diagnostic Laboratories have further reduced compared to the size of the Bengaluru City and number of Card holders. Efforts should be made to increase the empanelled hospitals to a large extent. The CG employees in Bangaluru are living in all the parts of the city, the present empanelled hospitals are only limited in few areas that too in South Bengaluru, the Northern Bengaluru and Eastern Bangaluru doesn’t have enough hospitals.

6. Therefore, we suggest that ,
(a) Necessary steps may please be taken in this regard and in respect of the rates prevailing in CGHS which was last revised in 2014 has to be revised in 2021 considering the present market rates.

(b) Necessary steps may please be taken in this regard as more empanelled private hospitals and diagnostic centres to be enrolled as empanelled Hospitals. Dental Clinics & Diagnostic Laboratory which is to be increased four times the present strength.

7. The CGHS Wellness Centres are only very limited compared to the strength of the Central Government Employees and pensioners. In Metro city like Bengaluru there are only 9 CGHS Wellness Centre. The CGHS Wellness Centres should also be opened across the major cities of the Karnataka State and other States apart from increasing the CGHS Wellness Centres in other big and middle class Cities.

8. Fill up all vacant doctors and paramedical posts immediately and improve the doctors in patient ratio in CGHS by creation of more doctors and supporting staff.

9. The present Specialists in the field of Dental, Ear, Orthopedic, Children are very much insufficient, more CGHS specialists and in private hospitals in dental, ear, orthopedic, children etc to be allocated.

10. Plastic Card printing and CGHS Card printing system to be updated and improved a lot.. There is vast delay in the issue of Plastic Card issues.

It is therefore, requested to kindly cause suitable action in this regard so that the working employees and pensioners may get relief.

With regards

Yours Sincerely,

(R.N.PARASHAR)
Secretary General.

Copy to:

The Secretary CGEWCC Karnataka O/o Income Tax Department, Bangalore : for information.

Source: Confederationhq