NCJCM – Minutes of Meeting dated 13th Jul, 2020
File No.B-12012/1/2020-EHS
F. No. B-12012/1/2020-EHS
Government of India
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Department of Health Family Welfare
(EHS Section)
***
Nirman bhawan, New Delhi
Dated the 13th July, 2020
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Minutes of the meeting with Staff Side, National Council.
The undersigned is directed to circulate herewith the Minutes of the Meeting with Staff Side of National Council (JCM) on the submitted agenda items, held on 09.07.2020 under me chairpersonship of Secretary (HFW). in Committee Room No. 155-A, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi, for information and necessary action
(BIMAL KUMAR)
Deputy Sary to Government of India
MINUTES OF THE MEETING WITH STAFF SIDE, NATIONAL COUNCIL (JCM) ON THE SUBMITTED AGENDA ITEMS, HELD ON 09.07.2020 UNDER THE CHAIRPERSONSHIP OF SECRETARY (HFW)
A meeting was convened under the chairpersonship of Secretary (HFW) with Staff Side, National Council (JCM) on 09.07.2020 at 11:30 am, in Committee Room No. 155-A, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi, on the agenda items pertaining to COVID-19 and other related matters of Staff welfare in respect of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and Central Services (Medical Attendance) [CS(MA)] Rules, 1944.
List of participants is enclosed at Annexure – ‘A’.
2. The Chairperson welcomed all the participants. Opening the discussions, Secretary (HFW) thanked all central government employees who have been working tirelessly during the ongoing COVID pandemic to keep moving the work of Government. She also outlined the steps taken by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) regarding treatment and care of both Non-COVID and COVID positive patients during the pandemic period. After a brief round of introduction, Joint Secretary (CGHS) briefed about the agenda items raised by Staff Side and these items were taken up one by one for discussion.
At the outset, Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra, Secretary, National Council expressed his gratitude towards Secretary (HEW) for holding this Meeting at a short notice as well as proactively taking decisions for the benefit of central government employees. He also brought out the problems being faced by government employees.
Thereafter, discussion on the agenda began and action taken thereon is as under:
| Agenda No. | Issue | Action Taken |
|---|
| i | FIXATION OF PACKAGE RATE FOR each patient.
Since there is no package rate prescribed by the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the
COVID-19 infection treatment, the Hospitals are
abnormally charging from the CGHS beneficiaries.
Such incidences have been brought to our notice
from the Central Govt. Employees working in Chennai
and Hyderabad.
To avoid such type of abnormal charges being
levied by the CGHS Empanelled Hospitals,
itis essential that the Ministry of Health may
finalize a package rate of the treatment of
COVID-19 infection. Considering the urgency
in the matter a favorable decision may be
taken at the earliest.
| The proposal regarding fixation
of rates for COVID-19 treatment
at private hospitals empanelled
under CGHS is already under
process.
Secretary (HFW) directed that
ordermay be issued
immediately.
|
| ii. | REIMBURSEMENT OF COVID -19 TEST
CAHRGES LEVIED BY CGHS EMPANELLED
HOSPITALS.
This is to inform you that in spite of your
instructions to all the Chief Secretaries
of the State Governments, even now some
of the Private hospitals, especially CGHS
empanelled private hospitals are refusing
to give medical treatment to the Central Govt.
employees. The CGHS empanelled Hospital
whichever is at present giving treatment for
other diseases is insisting that before admitting
the patient for treatment, the patient have to
undergo COVID-19 tests and for that purpose
the hospital are charging almost Rs.10,000, which
include the testing charges and the PPE charges
both for the patients and for the care taker.
At present, there is no provision for reimbursement
of this COVID-19 test charges either under the
CS (MA) Rules or under CGHS Rules. | In case of CGHS beneficiaries,
orders regarding CGHS rates applicable
for COVID -19 test is already notified
vide OM Z.15025/18/2020/DIR/CGHS
dated 10.06.2020( Annexure-I).
Joint Secretary (CGHS) informed that
similar order for COVID-19 test will be
issued shortly for CS (MA) beneficiaries. |
| iii | REIMBURSEMNET OF OPD
MEDICINES TO CS (MA)
BENEFICIARIES IN VIEW OF COVID-19.
The Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare vide its OM Dated 27th March
2020 have issued instructions that
Considering the guidelines for
maintaining social distancing between
individuals, the CGHS beneficiaries are
permitted to purchase medicines based
on the prescription already with them.
However this benefit has not been
extended to CS (MA) beneficiaries.
Majority of the Defence Civilian Employees
are governed under CS (MA) Rules.
Therefore it is requested that the CS (MA)
beneficiaries also may be permitted to
procure medicine from the local Pharmacy
and to reimburse the same with the existing
prescription and for new cases by not
insisting for AMA’s prescription. Medicines
purchased based on the prescription from a
Registered Medical Practitioner may be allowed
to be reimbursed till the COVID-19 Pandemic
is down. | MoHFW vide OM No.
S.11011/12/2020-EHS dated
01.04.2020 (Annexure-II) has
issued instructions that CS (MA)
beneficiaries getting medicines
for chronic diseases may
purchase medicines from the
local pharmacy till 30.04.2020,
based on the prescription of
Authorized Medical Attendant,
already held by the beneficiaries.
The medical claim for
reimbursement shall be
submitted by the beneficiary to
the concerned Ministry/
Department/ Organization for
further processing. This special
sanction was further extended by
OMs dated 05.05.2020 and
03.06.2020 (Annexure-II) and
this special sanction of local
purchase is allowed upto
31.07.2020.
|
| iv | REFUSAL OF TREATMENT /
CASHLESS TREATMENT BY CGHS
EMAPNELLED HSOPITAL
Instances have come to our notice from
different cities that after the declaration of
Nationwide lockdown as a preventive
measure against the spread of COVID-19
Virus some of the CGHS recognized the
hospitals are refusing for giving treatment
to the Central Govt. Employees including
Defence Civilian employees. Some of the
Hospitals are admitting the patients with the
conditions that they will not be given
cashless treatment and that they should
deposit the treatment charges in
advance, in case they want medical attention.
You will appreciate when the whole country
is in crisis and the medical community is
struggling to save human beings from the
COVID-19 Virus, we fail to understand how
these corporate hospitals are refusing to treat
the Govt. Employees and their families.
Therefore it is requested that you may kindly
intervene in the matter and necessary instructions
may please be issued to all the CGHS empanelled
hospitals to compulsorily give medical treatment to
all the central government employees and pensioners
by extending the Cashless treatment facilities.
| Joint Secretary (CGHS) stated
that Advisory to CGHS
empanelled hospitals is already
in place and notified vide OM No.
15025/18/2020/DIR/CGHS dated 09.06.2020
(Annexure-III).
It was assured by the chair that
advisory will be reiterated.
|
In addition to above, some other issues were also taken up for discussion, which are summarized below:-
(a) Provision of immunity boosting drugs/ medicines
Staff Side requested the Ministry to make arrangement for the supply of immunity boosting drugs/ medicines to the beneficiaries.
JS(CGHS) informed the Staff side that there are number of AYUSH dispensaries under CGHS and the beneficiaries may avail the services of these dispensaries to obtain such immunity boosting Homeopathy / Ayurveda formulations.
(b) Extension of Health Insurance facility under COVID-19 to all central government employees.
Staff side requested that the insurance scheme under COVID-19 provided to Health Care workers by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare be extended to all central government employees.
On this, the chairperson apprised the Staff side that this is beyond the purview/ mandate of this Ministry.
(c) Different food charges levied by Railways empanelled hospitals
Staff side members raised the issue of different food charges being levied by Railways empanelled hospitals.
On this, the chair assured Staff side members that this issue would be forwarded to Ministry of Railways for action as deemed fit.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chair and the Participants.
