AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 35 of 170 ECHS MEDICAL COVER - A BRIEF BASED ON THE ADDRESS BY LT GEN A NATARAJAN, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, AT MH CHENNAI ON 01 MAR 2003 24. Members have already been apprised through the last newsletter about the broad details of the proposed Ex Servicemen’s Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), which was planned to be operational from 01 Apr 2003. Lt Gen A Natarajan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, Adjutant General, gave a talk to all retired personnel about the scheme and address related questions. The talk, on 01 Mar at the MH was attended by a large number of retired and serving officers and men from all the three services. The essentials of the ECHS scheme are set out here. 25. Basically, the scheme, to be funded by the Central Government by means of a one time corpus formation allocation and a recurring annual grant, will be similar to the scheme prevailing for civilian Central Government employees – that is the CGHS. The scheme is based on the CGHS and the Railwaymen’s Health Scheme, without the adverse or undesirable features of these schemes, benefiting as we have with the wisdom of hindsight through the experience of these schemes. 227 polyclinics have been authorised for the country, of which 104 will be at military stations, co-located with the military/air force/naval hospitals or MI Rooms, and the balance of 123 will be at non-military stations. The 104 polyclinics at military stations will be in place and functional within 6 months of the launch of the scheme, while the 123 at non-military stations will be in place within a year and a half. The polyclinics will be established on the basis of the ex-servicemen’s population, and will be graded as classes “A”, “B”, “C”, or “D”, with the first category catering to a population of above 15000, the second to 10000-15000, the third to 5000-10000, and the last to 2500-5000. The floor area will be, respectively, 5000sft, 4000sft etc. The distinctive feature of this scheme, which covers the ex-serviceperson and his/her spouse for life, is that it also covers sons up to the age of 23, and unmarried daughters, and dependent parents drawing emoluments less than Rs 1600 per mensem. All illnesses are covered, with no caveat regarding pre-existing illnesses on the date of joining the scheme. Another distinctive feature, designed to make for ease of operation and to eliminate even a suspicion of corruption, is that there will be no cash payments to the user, except for emergency trauma cases wherein it may not be possible to access a polyclinic or an empanelled hospital, and where the member user will have to pay upfront, and claim reimbursement later, subject to scrutiny and audit at Services HQ in New Delhi. The polyclinics will hold an imprest, and they will put up bills for services and medicines provided to users for post audit by CDA. The Adjutant General mentioned that the scheme will be operational to pensioners who become members from 01 Apr 2003, but the physical infrastructure of the scheme, which envisages empanelled hospitals from the civilian sector, assets and manpower, vehicles etc will be finally in place by 2008. All service personnel retiring from 01 Apr 2003 will automatically become members of the scheme, and those who have retired earlier can become members on payment of a one-time contribution that is at par with that prevailing for members of the CGHS etc. Those joining will have to bring the following documents to the appropriate centre: a) Pension order (to establish quantum of basic pension post 01 Jan 1996) b) Photographs (passport sizes) of pensioner, spouse, each dependent. c) MRO proving payment of contribution into Govt Treasury/Banks with treasury receipt. d) Notarised affidavit in the appropriate format swearing to the particulars of family etc. 26. A laminated photo ID card with the photo of the pensioner and all details on the