Reimbursement of additional charges paid on account of overstay in the hospitals: Agenda Item 47th NC (JCM) Meeting
[Part of the Minutes of the 47th Meeting of National Council (JCM) held on 13th April, 2019 issued by DoPT vide OM No. 3/1/2019-JCA dated 13.06.2019]
M/o Health and Family Welfare
6.1.4 Item No. 17/19/NC-47 – Reimbursement of additional charges paid on account of overstay in the hospitals.
Staff Side stated that as per CGHS rules, no additional charge on account of extended period of stay shall be allowed, if that extension is due to infection consequent to surgical procedure or due to any improper procedure and is not justified. This decision of the Govt. is putting the employees to undue financial hardship, since the hospital authorities never take the responsibility for infection and consequences of the surgery etc. In case of extended period of stay in the hospital, the additional charges incurred may be reimbursed.
Staff side pointed that no hospital provides a certificate for overstay. The Hospital authorities state that the discharge of a patient is on the advice of the doctor who treats the patient. No hospital, the staff side added, to the best of their information, has been blacklisted for this undesirable practice. It is ultimately the beneficiary who suffers, they added. .
Reply of the Official Side:
Additional charge on account of overstay is reimbursable, if the extended period of stay is justified and the hospital issues a certificate to this effect. Further, in case of overcharging by hospital which is not justified, there is provision for recovery from pending hospital bills and payment to the beneficiary. After discussions, the Chairman felt that in cases of deliberate overstay on account of hospitals, the patient ought to be fully reimbursed and appropriate action may be taken against the erring hospitals including blacklisting them. Accordingly, it was recommended that the matter may be reviewed by MoH&FW.
Previous Agenda Item of 47th NC(JCM) Meeting
Item No. 16/19/NC-47 – Grant of Medical Advance to the Central Govt. employees.
Item No. 16/19/NC-47 – Grant of Medical Advance to the Central Govt. employees.
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