In a move that will benefit lakhs of serving/retired employees and their dependent family members, the Ministry of Railways has rolled out a cashless treatment facility, in case of emergencies, at empaneled private hospitals.
The decision follows several complaints that private hospitals were insisting on referrals from Railway hospitals, or were demanding advance payments, even during emergency hospitalisation. To improve the health delivery system on its network, the Railway Board, in a circular, said Railway medical beneficiaries (serving/retired), under emergency conditions, could get admission in railway empaneled hospitals, without prior referrals.
“The empaneled hospital should not insist on referrals from railway hospitals or demand advances [payments] in emergency conditions, and the hospital will provide cashless/credit medical facilities to patients,” the circular said.
Defining the nature of emergency medical conditions, the Railway Board said Railway authorities should make sure that the empaneled hospitals accept the Medical Identity Cards/Cashless Treatment Scheme cards issued to the staff.
“Situations may arise where Railway hospitals, after scrutinising the admission reports, submitted by an empaneled hospital, finds that the patient is not suffering from an emergency. In such cases, patients can continue to avail treatment at the empaneled hospital, by paying Central Government Health Scheme rates or hospital rates, whichever is less on the patient’s cost,” the communication said.
The Board added that a refusal to provide treatment to Railway medical beneficiaries, in emergency cases, without any valid grounds, would attract disqualification for the continuation of the empanelment.
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