The private doctors of the State have been divided into two groups over the treatment of the poor through smart card system. According to sources, the small and medium level nursing home directors agree with the new rates approved by the State Government and they were ready to treat the patients, whereas the directors of big nursing homes have refused the new rates and reportedly returned the machines to the director health, Dr Kamalpreet Singh.
They said the approved rate was very less and if they would do treat the patients on that rate they would have to suffer huge loss.
The National Health Insurance Scheme (RSBY) has been launched in the state since 2009, under which lakhs of poor families of the state have been issued smart cards through which they would get free of cost treatment throughout the year for Rs30,000 per family. looking to the success of the scheme the state government had started Mukhyamantri Swasthya Beema Yojana so that the 56 lakh BPl and APl families of the state could get free treatment through smart cards.
The state government recently had fixed the new rates of Rs 30,000 per family per year for the treatment of patients through smart cards system. To discuss over the new rate, the health department had called a meeting of the directors of private nursing homes on Thursday afternoon, but only a few directors of small and medium level nursing homes reached the venue. The directors of big nursing homes after boycotting the meeting convened by the health department, has called a separate meeting.
In the meeting presided by the health director Dr Singh, additional CEO of RSBY Vijendra Katre and officer from the insurance company were also present. Senior ENT specialist of the city Dr Rakesh Gupta said in the meeting held with the health department officers only 22 small and medium level nursing home directors had attended. All the doctors have agreed with the new rate for treatment through smart card, as they said they would treat the poor patients, as it is a service to the poor.
In the meeting the director health informed that the rate for treatment through smart cards would further be decided in four months and it would be connected with the price index. Under the scheme relaxation would be given to government servants and their families. Special relaxation would be given to the registered nursing homes, when the Nursing Home Act would be implemented in the state.
On the other hand doctors of 25 big nursing homes, who conducted another meeting, reached the director of health Dr Singh and handed over the machines to the director.
IMA president Dr Sandeep Dave and Dr Ravindra Thawait said that the rate declared by the state government were not acceptable to them, hence they were returning the machines and added that at district level the machines were being returned to collector.
State president of the Indian Medical Association Dr Ajay Sahai said that he had handed over a list of 1051 diseases to the state government, out of which the rates of 267 diseases were revised and the rates of 17 diseased were reduced.
He said the rates of general category diseases were not increased, whereas minimal increase has been made in the rates of diseases which were not coming under general category. Though 30 per cent increase has been made in the paediatric treatment, but slapped 12.5 per cent service tax on it.