After the successful implementation of charging 30 per cent of DDSSY rates to outstation patients, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has now decided that all government-run hospitals will charge foreign patients the full DDSSY amount for treatment. Being a tourism-centric State, around 4 to 5 lakh foreign visitors land in Goa annually. Besides this, there are hundreds who have made Goa their permanent home. While Goans are granted free treatment across all government hospitals in the State, outsiders (non-Goans) are charged just 30 per cent of the DDSSY rates, which is a negligible amount considering that the DDSSY rates are below the normal private hospital rates. Foreigners who sought treatment at government hospitals, also took advantage of 30 per cent rate of DDSSY offered to Indians. The move has brought some respite to Goans, who otherwise had to stand hours in queues at the registering counters.
As the State’s healthcare bill continues to rise, due to a constant push by the government for better healthcare facilities, the government has now decided to charge foreigners 100 per cent of the DDSSY rates. The State may have collected about Rs 5 cr by charging non-Goans, but the collection is well below the Rs 80 cr amount the State is paying as a premium to the insurance company for providing free healthcare for Goans. Besides, the State has been constantly developing infrastructure like the new South Goa District Hospital, Margao, Super Speciality hospital in Bambolim, Chicalim Cottage hospital besides several others.
The State now is targeting doubling the collection with strict implementation. The Health Minister has rightly said that his primary concern is Goan patients. While the government provides a healthy budget for the sector, GMC and the other hospitals must now put to good use the revenue collected from non-Goans, perhaps for the new medicine wards as patients are often seen sleeping on the floor and wheelchairs.
India is one of the few countries that provides free or very cheap healthcare, and many foreigners are taking undue advantage of the same. Those criticising the move to charge foreigners have to note that ‘free’ healthcare in some countries isn’t actually quite so free. Healthcare that is provided by government agencies is indirectly funded by citizens. Our taxes support all government operations, including healthcare expenditures. Secondly, there have been instance of patients coming here as tourists and then extending visas on medical grounds. So, they actually come here only for free treatment as it is more expensive in their countries.
Interestingly, the same facilities are not provided to Indians when they visit other countries. Further, in many countries with free healthcare, patients often pay a small fee or it is deductible each time they visit the hospital or doctor. Note that not all citizens or residents receive free healthcare in all countries. In many countries, employers and individuals share in the cost of healthcare through contributions, cost share arrangements, co-pays, and other related fees and foreigners when they travel must mandatorily have travel health insurance.
Foreigners would now be asked to furnish their health insurance details to GMC so that they can be granted cashless facility. On the other hand, a visit to a public hospital in Europe might cost a traveller nothing more than the promise to return the crutches loaned out as part of treatment for a sprained ankle. The list of countries which provides free treatment includes Israel, Qatar, Singapore, France, and Australia. However, none of the countries on the list offer unlimited healthcare to travellers. Goa, which now provides the best of medical facilities, is right in charging foreigners but at the same time they have to keep the interest of Goan patients in mind.
