AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 105 of 170 Who is an ECHS Member? 58. An ECHS member is one whose application has been fully scrutinized and verified, for his/her eligibility, his/her dependants, widow status, and eligibility of his/her parents. Only such persons who fully meet eligibility criteria will be issued with an electronic ECHS Membership SMART Card. They are the only ones who can claim to be members of the Scheme. (In the interim period, till issue of SMART CARD, Receipt may be used as proof of membership). PART 5 Medical Facilities 59. Facilities in 104 military stations are being progressively upgraded. In 123 non- military stations, new polyclinics will be established progressively. 36 such augmented clinics Armed Forces Clinics (AFCs) and 10 Dental Clinics have already been established in military stations by Service Headquarters from their welfare funds. These will continue to provide support to pensioners, while new ECHS Polyclinics are being established/constructed. 60. Eligible members of the Scheme can go to the nearest ECHS Polyclinic/AFC along with their SMART CARDS to avail treatment (till issue of Smart Cards Receipt may be utilized). In the interim, till ECHS procedures are formalized, ECHS members may approach any Service Hospital to be provided medical cover, under the provisions of Army HQ letter No B/49769/AG/ECHS dated 14 July 2003 (amended on 12 August 2003). 61. Doctors at Polyclinics will provide required outpatient treatment and medicines free of cost. In case a prescribed medicine is not available in the Polyclinic Pharmacy, the OIC Polyclinic or Medical Officer will procure this through Local Purchase (LP) and provide it to the member. ECHS members will NOT be required to purchase any medicine specified for him/her by an ECHS doctor/empanelled hospital. ECHS will NOT deal with any case of reimbursement for medicines purchased by a member/dependant, as this is not permissible under ECHS rules. In case any medicine is so purchased the cost will have to be borne by the member. 62. In case further treatment is required, the patient will be referred to the nearest Service Hospital if the treatment/bed availability exists there. At the Service Hospital, the ECHS member will be provided free treatment and medicines and ward facilities as per his entitlement, but will have to pay nominal hospital stoppages in cash, on being discharged from the hospital. The procedure for dealing with ECHS members or dependants will be the same as for serving Soldiers and their dependants. 63. In case treatment facility/bed space does not exist/is not available in a service hospital, the ECHS patient will be referred to the desired empanelled Hospital/Diagnostic Centre/Consultant in the city/region as per choice of the pensioner. He/she alone will have the right to make the selection. A list of empanelled Hospitals/Diagnostic Centres and Consultants will be available in each Polyclinic for benefit of patients. In due course this information will also be provided on an ECHS website. 64. All that the patient is required to do is, to go to the selected Hospital/Diagnostic Centre, show his ECHS SMART CARD and referral form from the Polyclinic, and get treatment. Suitable Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will have been drawn up with empanelled Civil Hospitals/Diagnostic Centres and Consultants to provide treatment only to