HYDERABAD: The state government on Friday rolled out a New Employees Health Scheme to provide cashless treatment to the families of government employees and pensioners.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarsimha, handed over the new health cards to a few employees, marking the scheme launch.
Speaking on the occasion, Vikramarka said that this scheme has been launched with the objective of providing a reliable, fear-free and comprehensive health security system to state government employees.
“This scheme reflects the government’s commitment and sincerity towards employee welfare. Employees are like our own family members and their wellbeing is our responsibility,” he said.
“The scheme will benefit around eight lakh government employees and pensioners, along with 29.80 lakh dependent family members. Under this scheme, employees can avail free inpatient medical services without paying a single rupee through a network of 886 private hospitals across the state. A total of 1,816 medical and surgical procedures are covered as per Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) package rates.
To ensure transparency and smooth implementation, a dedicated trust has been established with equal participation from government officials and employee union representatives,” he added.
Slamming the previous government for “ignoring” employee demands for over a decade, he said: “Nearly Rs 10,000 crore worth of pending medical bills from the previous government are being cleared now with a humane approach. If employees are burdened with medical debt, they cannot deliver effective services. That’s why we are releasing Rs 2,000 crore every month to clear pending dues.”
“I personally review the progress every 15 days to ensure that not even a single rupee remains pending,” he added.
