Highlighting the concerns of the patients who opt for medical insurance and the current controversies and apprehensions regarding cashless medical claim facility among the general population and medical fraternity, the Delhi Medical Association on Friday said lack of proper guidelines in cashless medical insurance will discourage people from opting for health insurance.
The Association president Narender Saini said: “For the success of any system it is important that it should be based on some guidelines which are transparent. Unfortunately this is lacking. At present cashless facility is given to only select few hospitals and nursing homes. There is no laid down criteria for selection or rejection of nursing homes under cashless facility.''
Besides, he said, different package deals are given to them even though they may belong to the same category. “These problems aren't helping the patients,'' Dr. Saini charged.
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The Association has suggested that all nursing homes registered in Delhi should be given cashless facility so that the insured person has a wider choice on where to get the treatment done.
“Nursing homes may be divided as primary, secondary, tertiary and super speciality centres with laid down criteria. Also rates and packages should be fixed based on the above categories so that there is no doubt of over billing,'' it said.
The Association has also demanded that it too be made one of the signatories for taking any policy decisions on this issue.
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“We feel that if proper measures are taken by the insurance companies, we will make it a viable, economical cost effective means of providing quality affordable medical services to common man,'' said Association honorary secretary Ashwani Dalmiya.