The Central government’s decision to increase the security deposit to be paid by empanelled hospitals has put the ex-servicemen in the State in a spot as they are now bereft of the speciality treatment under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS).
Only a few more months are left for the completion of the contract between most private hospitals and ECHS in the State. Many hospitals have refused to renew the contract for the scheme.
Those in need of emergency treatment are now forced to seek treatment at faraway hospitals. Also, they have to shell out huge sums for treatment and medicines. This despite the fact that they have been paying an amount under the ECHS scheme for getting medical treatment.
M.B. Gopinath, State president, Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee, said that such a situation had arisen as the Centre had decided to increase the security deposit for hospitals from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh just a month before the COVID-19 outbreak.
He said this had resulted in many hospitals withdrawing from the contract to implement ECHS, which had benefited over three lakh ex-servicemen in the State.
Contract renewal
He said there were 98 empanelled hospitals in the State. Among them, 37 hospitals, which had completed the contract period, decided not to renew the contract. Except for a few, the contract with rest of the hospitals would get over by the year-end, he added.
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 ranks. Besides, an amount of ₹1,000 is also deducted from the monthly pension for medical expenses.
“It is unfortunate that despite paying the amount towards medical expenses, they are again forced to spend money for treatment in the absence of referral hospitals in their districts,” he added.
Vijayan Parali, geneal secretary, National Ex-Servicemen Coordination Committee, said the delay in releasing due amounts by the ECHS, which had run to several crores, was also forcing hospitals to withdraw from the scheme.
“Even if some hospitals decide to renew the contract, many smaller hospitals will be affected as there is a delay in payment from the ECHS and COVID-19 has further worsened the situation,” he added.
He said that there were 16 referral hospitals in Kannur, but now there are just two in Thalassery, which were waiting for their contracts to get over.
Mohan, who retired from the Navy, said that the Army hospital in Kannur did not have specialised treatment facilities. In the absence of referral hospitals, they were forced to approach other private hospitals for advanced treatment, he added.
