Good news for CGHS beneficiaries! The Centre is reportedly mulling revising the rates under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) as part of efforts to improve services for millions of beneficiaries covered under this scheme across the country. This has been one of long-pending demands from various stakeholders to improve facilities under the CGHS.
Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has recently indicated that the government will soon revise the rates of health services provided under the CGHS.
The statement assumes significance since the Staff Side of the National Council Joint Consultative Machinery (NC JCM), representing millions of central government staff, had also urged the government earlier this year to implement the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petitions regarding CGHS facilities.
Ahead of the union budget this year in February, the NC JCM urged the finance minister to address critical issues faced by employees and pensioners related to CGHS services.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petitions, in its 162nd report presented to the Rajya Sabha on August 10, 2023, had suggested several measures to improve CGHS services.
One of the panel’s suggestions was to revise CGHS rates to reflect current market conditions.
As far as the CGS rates revision is concerned, the government last year in February had revised CGHS rates. And now the minister’s comment about a possible revision again in rates assumes a great significance.
This statement indicates that the government is constantly attending to the demands of the employees and is seriously working towards making CGHS more effective and practical.
How will CGHS rates revision make a difference and benefit beneficiaries?
It has been continuously demanded by central employees and pensioners that CGHS rates are not in line with private hospitals, due to which many hospitals shy away from serving the beneficiaries. Especially in metro cities and big private hospitals, there are problems in getting treatment or surgery due to very low CGHS rates. Despite the rate revision in February, this difference remains. Now the latest statement of the minister indicates that the government wants to further remove this inequality.
The government from time time keeps changing various guidelines and introducing reforms to offer better medical care to central staff.
CGHS changes that took place in February 2024
In February 2024, the Ministry of Health had tried to align the CGHS package rates with the current market rates. The rates of 432 medical procedures were increased, as well as the payment rates for medicines and investigation services were also made realistic. Apart from this, the Health Ministry improved the online billing and payment process to reduce the delay in payment of dues of private hospitals registered in CGHS and to ensure quality of service.
Other major reforms in CGHS in the last one year
Many administrative and technical reforms have been made regarding CGHS in the last one year. Prominent among these are:
-The application process for CGHS card was made completely online.
-The ‘CGHS Beneficiary App’ was upgraded so that beneficiaries can track the hospital list, booking, e-referral and complaint status.
-The ‘CGHS Grievance Redressal Portal’ was made more effective for resolving complaints.
-Digitization was promoted in the billing process for timely payment of hospitals.
-The aim of these reforms is to develop CGHS as a reliable, transparent and beneficiary-centric service system.
Employees’ expectations and demands
Among the various demands, the employees have been asking the government to make the rates in line with the market, improve the grievance redressal system, increase the number of hospitals included in the panel, and ensure accountability of service providers. The rate revision in February did provide some relief, but the situation is still not completely satisfactory.
What next for CGHS beneficiaries?
After the latest statement of the union minister, it is expected that another revision can be done in the rates of CGHS in the next few months. Along with this, the ministry can also work on improving the quality of service. This will be a big step towards relief for central employees and pensioners.
Summing up
The extensive changes that have taken place in CGHS in the last one year are an indication that the government is serious about health services. But the actual utility of the service will increase only when CGHS rates are updated from time to time and beneficiaries get real benefits. Central employees are now eyeing this possible rate revision.