CGHS approved private Hospitals - Discontinuance of Cashless facility

CGHS approved private Hospitals – Discontinuance of cashless medical treatment in Certain Private Hospitals for Central Government Employees and Pensioners

In reply to a question Minister for Health and family Welfare Shri.Gulam Nabi Azad told in Rajya Sabha that certain CGHS approved private hospitals in Delhi have discontinued the facility of cashless medical treatment under CGHS Central Government Employees and Pensioners due to delay in payment by Government. The full text of this Rajyasabha Question and reply by Minister is as follows

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3822

ANSWERED ON-30.04.2013

Termination of cashless diagnostics and treatment facilities by private hospitals

3822 . DR. CHANDAN MITRA

(a) whether several major private hospitals have decided to stop providing cashless diagnostics and treatment facilities to CGHS beneficiaries due to payment related issues;

(b) if so, the reasons for delay in payment by CGHS; and

(c) the steps taken by Government to streamline the payment process of CGHS in order to avoid inconvenience to CGHS beneficiaries especially pensioners?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)

(a) Yes. One hospital in Delhi viz., Max Devki Devi Heart & Vascular Institute had stopped providing credit facility and therefore, empanelment of the hospital has been suspended w.e.f. 13.2.2013 till further orders. Two hospitals viz., Max Super-specialty Hospital and Fortis Escort’s Hospital, New Delhi opted out of CGHS empanelment on completion of their empanelment of two years. Frontier hospital, Chennai, B.P.Poddar Hospital & Research Centre, Kolkata and Sterling hospital, Ahmadabad have reported to have stopped extending credit facility to CGHS beneficiaries.

(b): There were delays in payment in CGHS in the last quarter of financial year due to piling up of cases on account of shortage of budget and expiry of agreement with the bill clearing agency i.e. UTI-ITSL, which processes the hospital bills and makes provisional payment to the private empanelled hospitals and diagnostic centres.

(c): Government has taken steps to renew agreement with UTI-ITSL and for the clearance of the pending bills on priority basis.
Source : http://rajyasabha.nic.in