Pvt hospitals kept out of Aarogya Raksha Scheme

The NTR Vaidya Seva Trust has blocked 133 clinical services available under NTR Aarogya Raksha Scheme at all private hospitals across the State. 
Image used for representational purpose
Image used for representational purpose

VIJAYAWADA: The NTR Vaidya Seva Trust has blocked 133 clinical services available under NTR Aarogya Raksha Scheme at all private hospitals across the State. Now, the patients who have enrolled for the scheme, can avail of 133 services at only government hospitals and can get screening done for 123 ailments in private teaching hospitals.

Speaking on the occasion, NTR Aarogya Raksha Scheme JEO Ch Surendra Babu said the decision to block a few services at private hospitals and confine them to government and private teaching hospitals was taken by the health department officials. “The patients need not worry as each person can avail of 1,044 services under the scheme. We don’t think blocking a few services would affect patients,” the JEO said.

Gallbladder removal surgery, laminectomy, spinal fixation rods etc will no longer be available at private hospitals. Sources from the health department state that the reason to confine a few services to private teaching hospitals, is to help medical students know more about these surgeries. But, the people who are availing of the scheme, are unhappy with the officials for blocking a few services at government hospitals.
N Narasimha Murthy, a tailor by profession, said that the agents of Aarogya Raksha Scheme had promised that 1,044 services could be availed of at all empanelled private hospitals across the State.

“Now, they are saying that a few services have to be availed of only at government hospitals or private teaching hospitals. Why should we pay for the scheme when we can avail of treatment free of cost at government hospitals,” he questioned.

He also wanted to know why the government referred a few surgeries to private teaching hospitals. “Is that to let the students play with our lives,” he asked.

To increase the enrolment, the health department handed over the enrolment duties to private companies. For each enrolment, the private company agent will be paid 10 per cent of the membership fee (`120 of `1,200) of Aarogya Raksha Scheme.

The true cost of ‘low-cost’
NTR Vaidya Seva Trust blocks 133 clinical services available under NTR Aarogya Raksha Scheme at all private hospitals
Now, the patients who have enrolled for the scheme can avail 133 services at only government hospitals
They can also get screening done for
123 ailments at private teaching hospitals
Launched in 2017, NTR Aarogya Raksha scheme has been receiving lukewarm response from the public
So far, only 61,130 families have enrolled for the scheme across the State

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