No clarity on status of Health Insurance Scheme

11/12/2018

Even after more than a month since the announcement made by none but head of the State Governor Satya Pal Malik for termination of controversial Group Mediclaim Health Insurance Scheme for the Government employees, no formal decision has yet been taken by the State Government for closure or continuation of the same. A formal proposal submitted by the Finance Department for termination of contract with the Insurance company was still awaiting approval of the Law Department thus pending decision on fate of the scheme. In absence of clarity on status of the Health Insurance scheme, the intended subscribers of the scheme, who include Government and PSU employees, pensioners and Accredited Journalists, are in confusion. While maximum of the State Government employees, whose quarterly premium of the scheme was deducted from their salary for the month of September, are still unaware of status of their Health Insurance, a few others have even availed benefit of this cashless scheme.
The state of confusion can be gauged from the fact that in some Government departments, Medical allowance is being deducted from salary of the employees since October month as mandated for subscribers of the Health Insurance, whereas the same is not being done in other departments owing to no formal order from the concerned authorities on status of the scheme. Pertinent to mention that during currency of the policy, Medical Allowance in favor of all enrolled employees is to be discontinued, drawn and credited to the M.H.8235 on monthly basis. In the University of Jammu, for which the scheme is mandatory, the Insurance premium was deducted from the employees' salary for the month of September but the same has not yet been deposited to the prescribed Government head because of confusion over the Medical Insurance scheme.
It may be recalled that on September 20, the Governor's Administration had formally rolled out the Group Mediclaim Health Insurance Scheme for employees, pensioners and Accredited Journalists in the State from the month of October, 2018. The policy has been tied up with M/s Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd. The Policy provides health insurance coverage up to Rs 6 Iakh per employee/pensioner per annum along with his/her five dependent family members on floater basis. Annual premium for the insurance cover was to be deducted in four quarterly installments. However, a month after rolling out the scheme, Governor announced the contract as cancelled and an inquiry into alleged irregularities in allotment of tender to the Reliance Insurance. While as a formal order for investigation by the State Anti-Corruption Bureau into alleged irregularities was issued after a few days of the announcement.

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