Reimbursement delays making private hospitals withdraw from ECHS scheme, says MP

Raising the contented of delays successful the colony of aesculapian bills nether the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) during Zero Hour successful the Lok Sabha connected Thursday, BJP subordinate Capt. Brijesh Chowta said that backstage hospitals person been withdrawing from the strategy owing to prolonged reimbursement delays.

It is straight affecting entree to timely healthcare for ex-servicemen and their families, Capt. Chowta said. “I person afloat religion that the Defence Ministry volition instrumentality enactment connected this contented astatine the earliest,” helium said.

Describing the concern successful Kodagu, a territory known for its subject legacy, helium said that owing to the lack of ECHS-empanelled backstage hospitals, aged veterans successful Kodagu are compelled to question 100 to 150 km done hilly terrain adjacent for basal aesculapian care. This reflects a wider signifier crossed the country, wherever delayed payments person made empanellment unsustainable for galore hospitals, helium said.

Capt. Chowta said that ECHS caters to implicit 1 crore beneficiaries annually, and that ensuring a reliable, time-bound colony mechanics is indispensable for maintaining veterans’ entree to healthcare.

He urged the Defence Ministry to enactment successful spot a streamlined and time-bound reimbursement strategy truthful that hospitals regain assurance successful the strategy and veterans person uninterrupted care.