PANJIM: Nearly 20 private hospitals, empanelled under Deen Dayal Sawasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY), have unanimously objected to the amended health insurance scheme and have warned not to be part of the scheme if the concerns raised by them are not considered.
The hospitals are demanding minimum ten percent price hike in all three categories- A, B and C category hospitals, on the existing rates of the 2016-17 scheme and also withdrawing the penalizing clause.
During a recent meeting held in South Goa, representatives of nearly 20 private hospitals, raised strong objection to the amendments carried out to the flagship scheme, wherein it has proposed to penalize those hospitals which fail to adhere to the rules and norms set under the scheme.
In a letter to Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, the hospitals have said that it would not be feasible for them to be part of the scheme, if their demands that include clear guidelines for payment timelines to the hospitals by insurance company with interest clause and delayed payment, are not considered.
With an eye to increase cost effectiveness and reach out to more beneficiaries, the DDSSY has been amended and streamlined to make it more user friendly. The scheme has made it mandatory for beneficiaries getting treated at private empanelled hospitals to give their written feedback, which will speak on whether the beneficiary was charged additional to the cover.
Hospitals like Victor Hospital, Grace Cardiac Hospital, Nagarsenkars classic hospital, Lawande Hospital and Research Centre, Manipal Hospital, Mardolkar General Hospital, Healthway, Chodankar Nursing Home, are amongst those who have raised objection.
In a letter to Health Minister, the hospitals have raised objection to the penalty clause, demanding that it should be removed and to be kept limited to De-empanelling from the scheme.
They have proposed that there should be clause mentioning “any addition/alteration/deletion happening in MOU guidelines has to be signed off by all the concerned parties involved in the agreement.
The copies of the letter are also forwarded to the members of Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising of three Ministers- Ramakrishna Dhavalikar, Francis D’Souza and Vijay Sardessai.
