Facilities to CGHS Beneficiaries: Whether only senior officials to get treatment abroad?

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 4675

ANSWERED ON 21.02.2014

4675 . Shri VIRENDRA KUMAR

M. K. RAGHAVAN

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has allowed only senior officials to get treated for their illness from abroad and if so, the reasons therefor and the details of the foreign treatment availed by senior officers during each of the last three years and the current year; 

(b) whether the serving employees of his Ministry are enjoying cashless treatment from empanelled hospitals whereas the other serving Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries have to pay and get it reimbursed thereafter; 

(c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons for such discrimination and the corrective measures taken or proposed by the Government in this regard; 

(d) whether the Government has reduced the entitlement cost of certain packages and implants procedures and the CGHS beneficiaries have to pay the difference to the hospitals; and 

(e) if so, the corrective measures taken or proposed by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER

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

(a): There is no provision for treatment abroad under Central Government Health Scheme. However, the treatment abroad facility is available under the Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944. Permission for treatment abroad is granted with the approval of Standing Committee headed by the Director General of Health Services only in the cases in which the treatment is not available in India. The facility is available to all Central Government employees. On an average, 2 cases have been allowed per year in last three years for availing treatment abroad with the approval of the Standing Committee. 

(b) & (c): Every Department has separate budget provision for providing medical treatment to their employees. Accordingly, the expenses incurred on availing medical treatment by the serving employees under CGHS or CS (MA) Rules are reimbursed by the Department concerned to their employees. The employees of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare covered under CGHS has been allowed credit facility in empanelled hospitals for the sake of administrative convenience as the paymentsto the CGHS empanelled hospitals for providing medical treatment to the pensioner beneficiaries are also released by this Ministry. However,as per the terms and conditions of empanelment under CGHS, the empanelled hospitals are to provide treatment on cashless basis to all serving employees covered under CGHS for treatment under medical emergency. 

(d) & (e): The CGHS package rates for Angioplasty and Angioplasty with Balloon were revised in February, 2013 as per the advice of experts. The empanelled hospitals are expected to provide treatment as per the approved package rates. The ceiling rates for implants are revised from time to time and if any beneficiary intends to have implants of a specific brand, he/ she can opt for the same if he/she agrees in writing to bear the additional expenditure.