New Delhi, July 15 (Inditop.com) The government will soon issue unique plastic cards to Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries to help them avail services in any part of the country, parliament was told Wednesday.
“It has been decided to issue plastic cards individually to each beneficiary of the CGHS. This will enable beneficiaries to avail CGHS facility in any city should they happen to be in that city either on official work or on leave,” Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad informed the Lok Sabha.
“Inter-city treatment will be possible after all cities are computerized and networked,” he added.
The minister said that with a view to providing better quality treatment to CGHS beneficiaries, only Quality Council of India certified diagnostic centres would be empanelled for diagnostic works.
Currently, CGHS facilities are available in 29 cities across India.
The Sixth Central Pay Commission recommended the introduction of health insurance scheme for central government employees and pensioners, the minister said.
“It had recommended that for existing employees and pensioners, the scheme should be available on the voluntary basis, subject to their paying prescribed contribution,” Azad said.
“It has also recommended that the health insurance scheme should be compulsory for new government employees who would be joining service after the introduction of the scheme. It had recommended that new retirees, after the introduction of the insurance would be covered under the scheme,” he added.
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