Ex-servicemen and their dependents receiving specialty medical treatment under Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) have raised concerns over several empanelled hospitals withdrawing from the scheme, while other hospitals are refusing to accept the contracts offered by the government.
Ex-Servicemen Grievances Redressal Cell Kerala has written to the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Chief of Defence Staff, Minister of State for External Affairs, and the Director of Central Organisation of ECHS, to intervene in the issue.
P.M. Mohan, chairman of the cell, said that during the time of retirement an amount of ₹1.20 lakh is deducted from officers, ₹67,000 from Junior Commissioned Officers, and ₹30,000 from other ranked officers. Besides, an amount of ₹1,000 is also deducted from the monthly pension for medical expenses. There are 26,000 ex-servicemen in Kannur alone.
The amount is used to meet the expenses of polyclinics, payment of doctors, purchase of medicines, and payment to referral hospitals for treatment, Mr. Mohan explained
He said all empanelled hospitals baring one or two have completely stopped providing medical treatment because of non-clearance of their long-pending bills and also low fixation of package rates.
He said the delay in getting the due amount from the ECHS, which had run to several crores, is turning the hospitals against implementing the scheme. The MIMS hospital in Kozhikode alone has to receive over ₹17 crore, he claimed.
Demand to revise fee
He said though there are other specialty hospitals in the district, they are refusing to come forward to join the scheme due to such payment delays. In addition, MIMS has also demanded to revise doctors’ consulting fee and other treatment charges, which has not been revised since 2014.
It is unfortunate that despite paying the amount towards medical expenses, ex-servicemen are again forced to spend money from their pockets in the absence of referral hospitals in their district, he added.
The grievance cell also demanded equalisation of room status. They pointed out that there is discrimination in matters of giving rooms for admitted officers and other ranked personnel.
While retired officers are given luxurious rooms, poor facilities are extended to ex-servicemen below officer’s rank. This is continuing even after retirement and such discrimination cannot be accepted. This goes against the equal rights guaranteed in the Constitution, Mr. Mohan said.