Cashless medical facility for Haryana govt employees, pensioners soon

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8

Government employees and pensioners in Haryana are set to get cashless medical facility very soon as the state government has sped up steps in that direction.

Unlike an earlier scheme whereby the cashless facility is provided for six life threatening emergencies, the scheme now approved by the state government will be comprehensive.

The scheme will be implemented by the Ayushman Bharat — Haryana Health Protection Authority (AB-HHPA)

“The scheme will cover all ailments where the patient is required to be admitted to a hospital and all government employees, pensioners and their dependents will be covered under this scheme,” said Rajeev Arora, Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department, Haryana.

He said the State Finance Committee had approved the “Haryana Employees Cashless Health Assurance Scheme” in its meeting held on December 18.

As per the decision of the committee, an empowered committee comprising additional chief secretaries of health and finance departments, CM’s principal secretary, director general of health services and the CEO of Ayushman Bharat was constituted and its meeting is to be held soon.

“A request has been made to the Finance Department to create a separate budget head for the scheme in 2020-21 state budget. A letter has also been sent to the citizens resources information department (CRID) for permission to utilize Parivas Pehchan Patra in the data base creation of the scheme,” said Amneet P Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Ayushman Bharat – Haryana Health Protection Authority.

In 2017, the state government introduced a limited cashless scheme, under which only six life-threatening emergencies — cardiac emergencies, brain haemorrhage, coma, electric shock, third and fourth stage of cancer and accidents — were covered.

“The new scheme will be comprehensive, covering not only the six life-threatening emergencies, but all approved packages of treatment as well. It will be applicable to all indoor treatment, daycare procedures and diagnostics taken as indoor patients at all government medical colleges, government-aided medical colleges, district hospitals, health institutions and private empanelled hospitals,” added Arora.