HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME DEMAND SURVEY

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released a document for taking Demand Survey on Health Insurance Scheme.

NFPE Published the full details of the intended introduction of Health Insurance Scheme for Central Government Employees and Pensioners in the Postal Crusader Issue of January 2010.

Now the Ministry of Health is undertaking a survey to ascertain as to how many of the existing employees and existing Pensioners are willing to switch over from the present CGHS or Medical Reimbursement system to Health Insurance Scheme

Funnily the Scheme which is said to be optional is not optional for the existing employees as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare notification prescribes. By making it compulsory for all future pensioners, all the existing serving employees as on date are compulsorily brought under the Health Insurance Scheme. This is contrary to the prescription that it is only voluntary for the existing employees and existing pensioners!!

There will be no more CGHS and no more Reimbursement Schemes in future - The whole idea is completely close down CGHS bit by bit though in one stroke this may not be done.

While making it voluntary for the existing employees and pensioners may be understood, making it compulsory to all existing employees as and when they retire is unethicl. The option exercised by the existing employees to remain in CGHS should be accepted even after their retirement tomorrow unless they themselves opt voluntarily at the time of retirement. But this is not the case.

Confederation of CG Employees will discuss the issue before taking a final decision on behalf of our organisations.

However there is a trend among our employees that the Health Insurance Scheme may be better while contemplating the situation arising out of denial of referral to good private hospitals when the CGHS beneficiaries desire to take treatment there while the same facility is freely available to high officers!!

The survey is intended by the Government to facilitate fair assessment for determining the probable premimum etc.

The premimum speculated by the Ministry of Health is around 8000 to 12000 per year. While it speaks about considerable extent will be borne by the Government, it do not say about the probable amount to be paid by the employees! Any way we do not know as to whether it will be to the level of the present CGHS subscription only or more!!

We do not know as what would be the future after implementing such a Health Insurance Scheme - whether in future the whole burden would befall on the heads of employees and pensioners totally? Unless these details are made transparant, there are always danger in accepting this Scheme.

Comrades who want to read the whole scheme may do so by clicking on the link below besides reading the Postal Crusader issue of January 2010:

http://www.mohfw.nic.in/cghs-insurance-scheme.pdf