AFVOA Newletters of Year 2003

Page 55 of 170 eaten into by more than one personalised intervention by members who either expected the Brigadier to change policy (which he couldn’t) or cried wolf at a non existent wolf based on an odd unpleasant experience in an unrelated setting (with the AGIS or the AFGIS schemes). The result was that the Brigadier could not cover all that he intended to. In order that the members of the AFVOA know as much as is possible at present about the ECHS, based on its present “MOD” (IAF slang for modification), the chronicler of this part of the newsletter has taken the liberty of combining the information given out by Brig Bhore on the 04 th with that by Col Gawande (Dy Dir, ECHS Regional Centre, Chennai) on the 10 th of May at the Air Force Association’s Annual General Meeting at the Hotel New Woodlands. At this latter meeting, Col Gawande was listened to without interruption for nearly an hour, with the result that more information could be compressed into the time given. 10. Brig Bhore mentioned that in the initial phase, 104 polyclinics would be established at Military Stns. In TN, the places chosen were Chennai, Coimbatore and Wellington, with Chennai being the designated Regional Centre attached to the Stn HQ. At Chennai, which was to be grouped in the “B” classification, the ECHS clinic would be co–located with the MH. A polyclinic would have admin staff, para medics, as well as specialists. Patients would be referred to empanelled hospitals in case of need. Questionnaires had been sent to various top quality hospitals, and based on their response, which was good, they would be empanelled. The governing body of the ECHS would ensure that the contracts would elicit a guarantee from the hospitals that only CGHS rates would be charged, that only the ECHS was billed and not the ex-Serviceman or his dependants (only a signature would do). There would be safeguards to ensure that a common malpractice of holding a patient for a few extra days beyond the contracted period was not resorted to by corporate hospitals in order to fleece the patient of personal funds. It was clarified that during the period that the application form was being processed and till the would-be member received the I Card, treatment could be availed by using a photocopy of the application and the MRO (military receivable order). Brig Bhore clarified that the Rs 1500 per month parents’ income upper limit cut off for making dependent parents eligible was non-negotiable, being based on Central Govt rules, however outdated. Unlike the AGIS scheme, which covered 11 diseases, and the AFGIS, which covered only 4, the ECHS would cover all diseases. After the lapse of the AGIS and the AFGIS medical insurance cover on 30 Apr 2005, wef 01 May 2005, no medical cover would be available for non-ECHS members. Those who felt that their advanced age made it less than useful to enter the ECHS would be better advised to avail of medical insurance cover from the General Insurance Companies. There would be stringent breach of contract provisions in the ECHS to prevent misuse either by hospitals or even by members. Brig Bhore clarified that a single card would be issued to members, to be followed a little later by a second card, which would enable members of a family to avail treatment at separate locations. 11. Col Gawande, in his talk at the Air Force Association’s AGM on the following Saturday, made some additional points. He allayed any misapprehensions on account of the unexpected delays in commencement of receipt of applications. He pointed out that there were sections of the “babucracy” that were opposed to the scheme, as it is intended, and would be quite happy to see it watered down in terms of usefulness and comprehensiveness. He assured that, with the goodwill of the Govt, and the patient efforts of the Services HQs, it would be ensured that there would be no dilution in the scope or the intended quality of facilities that would be available to ECHS members. It would be ensured that the best quality hospitals such as the Escorts Hospitals in Delhi, the MIOT and SRM Hospitals in Chennai, and such like elsewhere would be empanelled. He mentioned that the response from the