CMUHIS beneficiaries deprived of services

Our Correspondent

Itagar, January 23: The much–hyped Chief Minster Universal Health Insurance Scheme (CMUHIS) launched by the state government seems to run into rough weather as many smart card holders undergoing treatment at the empanelled Aditya Diagnostics & Hospital at Dibrugarh in neighbouring Assam have been denied treatment due to sudden suspension of cashless treatment.

“We went to the hospital for treatment but the hospital’s authorities refused to accept the card putting us in an awkward situation. With no other options we were compelled to borrow money to clear the bill”, rues one of the patient from Tezu in Lohit district.

Another patient stated that the government needs to pursue the Insurance Company and made the deadlock clear for smooth the services to avoid further harassment to patients coming from interior areas.

“The card has cheated us,” another reacted while cursing the government for the harassment he faced in the hospital.

According to sources, the empanelled Aditya Diagnostics & Hospital temporarily suspended the medical services of the scheme, a brain child of Chief Minister bam Tuki following outstanding payment till January 5 last.

The government had paid only 15 lakh out of total outstanding amount of 60 lakh in the hospital.

“Due to irregularity and delay in payment we are uble to pay the doctor’s payments, cost of medicine and other materials. Under the circumstances the hospital is not in a position to cater medical services to cards holders and the services has been temporarily suspended from January 13 last till clearance of outstanding bills”, a letter from the hospital authority to the state government stated.

Meanwhile, the underprivileged patients from eastern most part of the state availing medical services at Dibrugrah are finding inconvenient and helpless situation to use the best of the smart cards for medical services and urges the government to intervene to ease out the situation.

It need to mentioned here that the CM’s Universal Health Insurance Scheme offer the beneficiaries cashless treatment up to two lakhs in all empanelled hospitals in the country.