Govt hikes rates payable for angioplasty under CGHS

The government has revised the package rates payable to empanelled private hospitals under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) for coronary angioplasty, with effect from 7 February 2013.

Accordingly, the new rate applicable for coronary angioplasty will be Rs50,000 while for coronary angioplasty with balloon it would be Rs55,000.

The government was forced to revise rates for angioplasty treatment after almost all the empanelled private hospitals stopped providing angioplasty treatment to CGHS beneficiaries claiming the existing compensation rates were too low.

However, three hospitals in Delhi and the NCR have filed writ petitions in the Delhi High Court against the revised rates as well, minister for health and family welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply today.

The government, on the other hand, revived the continuous empanelment scheme on 14 February 2013 to bring more eligible private hospitals under CGHS to provide inpatient healthcare facilities to CGHS beneficiaries, the minister said.

The CGHS provides comprehensive health care facilities for the central government employees and pensioners and their dependents residing in CGHS covered cities.

Started in New Delhi in 1954, CGHS is now in operation in  Allahabad, Ahemdabad, Bangalore, Bhubhaneshwar, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Dehradun, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jabalpur, Kanpur, Kolkatta, Lucknow, Meerut, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Pune, Ranchi, Shillong, Trivandrum and Jammu.

CGHS provides comprehensive health care to the beneficiaries in India through Wellness Centres (previously referred to as CGHS dispensaries) /polyclinics under allopathic, ayurveda, yoga, unani, sidha and homeopathic systems of medicines.

It currently operates through 248 allopathic dispensaries, 19 polyclinics, 78 Ayush dispensaries, 3 yoga centers, 65 laboratories and 17 dental units.

Meanwhile, the government has targeted further expansion of the reach of healthcare facilities to vulnerable and marginalised sections of population under the 12th Plan by to strengthening initiatives taken in the 11th Plan, the minister said.

The 12th Plan envisages substantial expansion and strengthening of the public health systems and robust provision of primary health care, he added.