Health min officials' apathy puts fate of CGHS in limbo
New Delhi: The apathy of health ministry officials' has put the fate of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) in limbo as most of the CGHS-empanelled hospitals have withdrawn their outpatient department (OPD) consultation services for the beneficiaries of the central government's scheme over non-payment of their outstanding dues. Now, some hospitals are refusing to admit CGHS patients in the name of the non-availability of beds.
The withdrawal of OPD services by private empanelled hospitals has been necessitated after both the concerned officials namely Alok Saxena, who is Additional Secretary-cum-Director General, CGHS, and RS Sharma – CEO of National Health Authority (NHA)– failed to initiate any action in the matter of payment of outstanding dues of empanelled hospitals even after their "assurance of redressal" in the presence of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya during a meeting held on May 12.
After the withdrawal of the OPD services for CGHS card holders, the beneficiaries are in deep financial trouble as they are either not able to continue their treatments or are bound to save their lives by paying non-CGHS consultation fees to avail the medical facilities at empanelled hospitals.
The OPD consultation charge for a CGHS beneficiary at most of the empanelled hospitals, including Max, Fortis, Medanta, etc, is Rs 150 per visit, while non-CGHS rates at these hospitals range from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000. Expressing his anguish over the issue, a retired IES cadre official Arun Kumar Jha said, "Refusal to treat bonafide CGHS beneficiaries by CGHS empanelled hospitals has worsened the situation and pensions are at the receiving end."
"Hospitals are refusing to admit patients by simply making an excuse of non-availability of beds. Despite many retired officials requesting the minister and secretary to look into the matter, the services have not been started yet," Jha said, who had also worked in Health Ministry as Financial Advisor. Notably, working government officials under the CGHS ambit pay a fixed amount every month to avail the facilities, while pensioners pay the fee in advance for a year to continue the services.
However, Saxena remained incommunicado despite several attempts to seek his views on the issue. Commenting on the issue, Girdhar Gyani, who is the director-general of the Association of Healthcare Providers, said, "During the meeting, the minister had directed all the concerned officials to resolve the issue at the earliest so that CGHS patients should not suffer. Both – Saxena and Sharma – assured that the issue would be resolved in a week."
"It's a month now and ministry officials have not moved an inch to clear the outstanding dues, which have increased to Rs 270 crore in the case of Max Hospital, Rs 70 crore of Fortis and Rs 50 crore of Medanta. If a similar situation persists, the hospitals would be bound to stop proving its services at CGHS rates," Gyani said.
"We are continuously writing to Health Secretary to convene a meeting in this regard. Latest letter was written on June 1. Still, there is no response from the health ministry officials," he said, adding that NHA has still not been able a fix an issue with its portal that synchronises the bills raised by empanelled hospitals.
