Private hospitals threaten to stop CGHS treatment

Corporate hospitals across the country have threatened to stop cashless treatment to lakhs of Central Government employees from January 1. This will impact about 45 lakh employees of the Central Government and public sector agencies who are benefiting from the insurance scheme.

Protesting against “unviable” rates being given to them under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) (AHPI) has said that it will give three months’ time to the Government to revise the rates.

“After that we will stop all cashless services at our hospitals. We will, however, continue to provide services on paying cash (at the hospital rates). They can seek reimbursement later,’’ said Alex Thomas, an AHPI leader.

PRICE CORRECTION

Representatives of about 100 corporate hospitals held a meeting here on Saturday to discuss the challenges they face with regard to CGHS cases. AHPI said the Government should come out with a scientific method to arrive at proper packages for various treatments.

“They have not revised the tariff for various procedures for years, while the cost of operations has gone up significantly,” said Bhaskara Rao, President of the Andhra Pradesh Speciality Hospitals Association and Chief Executive Officer of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences.

The Association will submit a memorandum to the Centre through CGHS authorities, demanding a hike in tariff for several packages.

Deviprasad Shetty, Chairman of Narayana Hrudayalaya, said hospitals are not being paid on time, and that the payments are below the actual cost (of procedures).

When asked about the alleged malpractices and inflation of bills by corporate hospitals, both Thomas and Rao said that all such violations should be probed into.