AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 100 of 170 information of the environment/members joining the ECHS. This Brief provides progress on the ECHS as on 01 September 2003, and must be referred to in conjunction with “Frequently Asked Questions” issued by the Central Organisation ECHS in August 2003. A detailed booklet on the scheme will be prepared in due course, once procedures are formally approved by the GOI/MOD:- (a) Part 1. Medical Treatment entitlement to ex-servicemen (ESM) pensioners prior to 01 April 2003. (b) Part 2. Aim and Salient aspects of the ECHS, including Eligibility for Membership. (c) Part 3. Procedure for enrolment for ESM who were already retired on or before 31 March 2003, and procedure to be followed by post -01 April 2003 retirees. (d) Part 4. Rates of Contribution and method of remittance. (e) Part 5. Utilisation of ECHS medicare system. (f) Part 6. Action in case of Emergency. (g) Part 7. Status of AGIS (MBS) and AFGIS (MIS) and ECHS Road Map. (h) Part 8. Some Important Information. (i) Part 9. SMART Card and its use. (j) Part 10. Progress on ECHS and interim arrangements. PART 1 General 38. “Authorised” vis-à-vis “Entitled” Medical Treatment. While in service, all ranks of the Armed Forces are authorised to full and free medical treatment for themselves and for their declared dependants. However, on proceeding on retirement, as per Regulations for Medical Services of the Armed Forces (RMSAF), ex-servicemen (ESM) pensioners (including family pensioners) are only entitled to a medical allowance of Rs 100/- pm for purchase of medicines - which amount is included in their Pension Payment Order (PPO) - or in lieu, to avail free outpatient treatment in Service facilities and limited in-patient facilities by paying stipulated stoppages. Those in receipt of Medical Allowance are NOT permitted to utilise any outpatient facility/medicines from Service Hospitals/MI Rooms. Therefore, treatment to the extent possible was provided to them as an entitlement, and as a welfare measure, at Service Hospitals, Augmented Armed Forces Clinics (AFC) and Medical Inspection (MI) Rooms, subject to availability of bed space, facility and expertise. Such treatment does not cater for any of the major diseases, or cover support to dependants, other than spouse. Moreover, in stations where an MH/AFC/MI Room is not present, the pensioner has to make his own arrangements. An additional problem has been that with passage of time, Service Hospitals/AFCs and MI Rooms (particularly in metro cities) became overloaded with the progressive increase in demand of treatment by pensioners, and it has not been possible for the existing medical infrastructure to cope with either their aspirations or provide quality treatment. 39. Shortcomings of ESM Medicare. Retired Armed Forces pensioners, therefore, lacked an adequate post-retirement medicare scheme, as available to other Central Government employees. The other major shortcoming was that such entitlement did not cover treatment of major diseases, and Rs 100.00 pm hardly catered for the prohibitive costs of even common medicines. To provide some relief to pensioners, a privately funded Medical Benefit Scheme (MBS) under the Army Group Insurance Scheme was introduced in Apr 91, and a similar Medical Insurance Scheme) (MIS) under Air Force Group Insurance Scheme in 1993. These catered to specific high cost surgery/treatment, but for a limited number of diseases. Due to inadequacies of these, it was felt necessary to formulate a comprehensive health