Mokokchung, 1 June (MTNews): The Nagaland Pensioner’s Association (NPA) has in a representation to the Commissioner and Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted several concerns and issues related to the implementation of the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) and the need for clear guidelines for its proper implementation.
The representation was dated 11 May 2023. It may be mentioned here that the NPA held a meeting on 3 May in Kohima with representatives from all the districts in attendance wherein it was resolved to submit the said representation to the Government.
In the representation, the NPA raised several points of concern regarding the CMHIS scheme, urging the authorities to take necessary actions to ensure its effective implementation. One major concern expressed by the association is the improper implementation of the scheme in certain government and private empanelled hospitals, which has led to complaints from CMHIS e-Card holders. The NPA emphasized the importance of adhering to the guidelines in order to prevent any unfavorable circumstances and to fulfill the purpose for which the scheme was established.
Another issue highlighted by the NPA is the lack of clear written guidelines for CMHIS from the concerned implementing department. According to NPA, this has resulted in confusion among pensioners and family pensioners, as they find it difficult to distinguish between CMHIS and another similar health-related program called Bharat Ayushman. Therefore, the association has urged the department to promptly prepare comprehensive guidelines and publish them in local dailies to enhance public awareness and clarity.
The NPA also raised the issue of the slow pace of issuing CMHIS e-Cards. According to NPA, despite the deduction of Rs. 400/- from all the pensioners and family pensioners since November 2022, only a few thousand eCards have been issued so far. The NPA felt that issuing of CMHIS e-Card was unreasonably slow and suggested that the deduction of Rs. 400 should be halted until all individual pensioners and family pensioners receive their CMHIS e-Cards.
The NPA also emphasized the need for making a list of all empanelled hospitals public. Additionally, the association recommended that all final medical treatment bills should be countersigned by the patients themselves to avoid any further complications.
The NPA also urged the inclusion of a clause that allows nominees of pensioners and family pensioners to withdraw the contributions made if the facility was not utilized during their lifetime.