ESIC PROPOSING TO SET UP “SOCIETY” IN EACH STATE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MEDICAL DUES OF ITS MEMBERS, SAYS ITS DG AT PHD CHAMBER

Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is working on the proposal to set up a Society in each state of the country to help its beneficiaries avail of all their legitimate reimbursement of their medical bills without chasing the state agencies as these delays and sometimes throttle their legitimate dues, according to its Director General, Mr. Raj Kumar.

In addition, the Corporation is also preparing to take its board’s approval to hire private medical practitioners and doctors to provide medical facilities to its members in ESIC’s doctors’ starved hospitals not only in big townships but also proposing to extend this facility in un-served and under-served areas to give primary health care to the ESIC members, he further pointed out.

While addressing a Seminar on Employees’ State Insurance under aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, Mr. Kumar informed that the his Corporation is contemplating with an idea to open up Societies under the Society Act in all State Capitals so that the proposed Society are mandated with teeth to entertain all ESIC reimbursement issues to intended beneficiaries since the Corporation has been receiving complains that State agencies take hell lot of a time to process the reimbursements and sometimes even throttle them.

“For this purpose, the ESIC would be writing to all State Governments including the Centre to make a provisioning to this effect so that reimbursement issues relating to medical ailments of all its members are not subjected to states’ budgetary exercises and other such bureaucratic routes.  With the proposed society in place, it will be their responsibilities to transfer the reimbursement amounts to beneficiaries with due diligence and the State agencies play virtually no role in reimbursement cycle”, said Mr. Kumar.

Mr. Kumar admitted that most of the ESIC hospitals are shortages of doctors and hiring their services with due governmental approval would give the corporation a mechanism to hire competent doctors on contractual basis and provide better services to its beneficiaries in large towns where ESIC hospitals are even operational.

Gradually, this service would also extended to under-served and un-served locations in which ESIC beneficiaries are working for industry so that the avail of medical consultancy under category of primary health care, he further added.

Former President & chairman Industrial Relations & HR Committee, PHD Chamber, Mr. Ravi Wig in his remarks, urged the government to frame a separate mechanism for construction workers to avail of ESIC benefits and facilities since the sector is largely different and engages workers for shorter time.

Among others who were also spoke on the occasion comprised Insurance Commissioner, ESIC, Mr. Arun Kumar; Co-Chairman, Industrial Relations & HR Committee, PHD Chamber, Mr. Bharat Singh Mehta and Head-Industrial Relations, PHD Chamber, Mr. R K Joshi.