AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 116 of 170 place, a card will be issued within three months of submitting the form. Question No 19. How will the membership be given to Pensioners/Ex-Servicemen? Answer. ECHS Membership SMART cards will be issued after processing of application form submitted by ESM. Each ESM shall be issued minimum one card (for the whole family) and two add-on cards, if desired. This choice is to be indicated in the form. Question No 20. What are the diseases, which can be treated under the ECHS? Answer. All known diseases are covered for treatment under ECHS. Question No 21. Where are all the Polyclinics going to be set up in the country? Answer. Polyclinics will be set up countrywide at 227 stations. See list at Appendix attached. Question No 22. Who will staff the Polyclinics and what will be the working hours? Answer. Medical and para medical staff will be hired/employed on contract for working at Polyclinics. Polyclinics will be open for eight hours during weekdays. They shall be closed on Sundays and Gazetted holidays. ESM patients requiring attention outside working hours will be handled by Duty MOs of service hospitals (in military stations) and by on-call civilian doctors in non-military stations. One nursing assistant will be available in all clinics in non – military stations after working hours. Question No 23. What is the difference between the existing AGI/AFGI MB Scheme as compared to ECHS? Answer. AGIF/AFGI Medical Benefit Schemes are privately funded ventures with limited coverage and that too for specific diseases. These cater for the ex-servicemen and spouse only, whereas ECHS caters to dependent parents and children, in addition to above. Reimbursement of medical expenses under AGIF/AFGIS is limited to certain specified diseases only and financial limits of expenditure (max Rs 2.10 lakhs each for ex-servicemen and spouse) are also specified. There are no such restrictions under ECHS. Also refer to the table below. Question No 24. Is employment as medical & non-medical staff an automatic resettlement avenue for retired ex-servicemen for managing the Scheme? Answer. No. While preference will be given to ESM for employment in Polyclinics, the emphasis will first be on quality and experience. Operational management of the overall ECHS scheme will, however, be by regular service personnel only. All efforts will be made to employ a minimum of following ESM in polyclinics:- Ser No Category Percentage of ESM (a) Medical Officers 60% (b) Dental Officers 60% (c) Para Medical Staff 70% (d) Other Staff 70% Question No 25. What is the contribution of the Govt to sustain the expenditure of the Scheme? Answer. The ECHS scheme is totally Govt funded. The contribution by the pensioners has no bearing on the expenditure to be incurred. Question No 26. What is the scope of reimbursement for travel from/to Polyclinic to the empanelled hospitals/specialist diagnostic centres?