No withdrawal of CGHS Cashless Scheme – Says Health Ministry

There have been reports in the Media that private hospitals on the panel of CGHS are denying credit facilities to the eligible CGHS beneficiaries for delay in settlement of hospitals bills. Lower package rates and inadmissible deductions etc. have also been reported to be the other reasons for withdrawal of agreed cashless /credit facilities.

In this regard, the CGHS beneficiaries are advised not to be guided by such misleading information. Delay in payments in the last quarter of the financial year due to budgetary constraints is not a new phenomenon and the hospitals are aware of it. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken special steps and the pendency is likely to be cleared within a week.

CGHS has already invited bids for revision of package rates through a transparent tender process. The last date for submission of bids is 10th March, 2014. Measures have also been taken to streamline the payment related issues in the ensuing empanelment process.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will ensure that the CGHS empanelled private hospitals continue to extend cashless /credit facilities to the eligible CGHS beneficiaries in compliance with the terms and conditions as laid down in the Memorandum of Agreement signed by them with CGHS. As per the information received by the Ministry, most of the private hospitals are continuing to extend the cashless facilities to the CGHS beneficiaries.

Source: PIB News

Requirement of residence proof to renewal of expired CGHS Plastic Cards – reg.

While answering in the Parliament to a question regarding above mentioned the topic, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad said that ‘Proof of Residence is required for issuing CGHS cards. However, Affidavits are also accepted in absence of commonly accepted proof of residence.

He also said that CGHS cards in respect of serving employees and their dependent family members are issued on the recommendation of their Administrative Department / Office. It is incumbent upon the Administrative Department / Office to ascertain the residential status of their employee and his family members from their office records and documents submitted by the employee as their proof of residence. They can also accept Affidavits in absence of valid proof of residence’.