Amendments proposed to HIMCARE scheme

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, June 23

The state government has proposed certain amendments in one of its most popular schemes — ‘HIMCARE’, which provides for free health services to people, to make it more transparent, people friendly, besides plugging loopholes detected in the past one and a half years.

Loopholes detected in audit

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• Health Department had conducted an audit of the scheme by medical experts of the Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla.
• During the audit, a number of loopholes like overbilling were detected.
• State government employees, who claim medical reimbursement from the government, were also availing HIMCARE benefits.
• Free diagnoses allowed under the scheme had also led to its misuse.

The government would also ensure that payments to private nursing homes under the scheme are released in time.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed the state Health Department on the directions of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had recently conducted a complete audit of the scheme through medical experts of the Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla. During the audit, a number of loopholes in the schemes like overbilling by some nursing homes have been detected. It has also come to light that the state government employees, who claim medical reimbursement from the government, were also availing HIMCARE benefits in violation of the rules. It was noticed that free diagnoses allowed under the scheme had also led to its misuse.

Sources said that Principal Secretary, Health, M Sudha Devi had prepared a detailed note, which would be presented before Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and a final approval would be accorded by the state Cabinet before a notification is issued.

At present, there are over 31 lakh HIMCARE card holders in the state, who have been availing the benefits of the scheme.