Delay in handing over of ECHS Smart Card to ECHS Beneficiaries

Delay in handing over of ECHS Smart Card to ECHS Beneficiaries

Central Organisation, ECHS

Adjutant General’s Branch

Integrated HQ of MoD (Army)

Thimayya Marg,

Near Gopinath Circle

Delhi Cantt – 110010

B/49711-MoD/AG/ECHS/DBT

29 Jul 2019

IHQ of MoD (Air Force)
IHQ of MoD (Navy)
HQ South Comd (A/ECHS)
HQ East Comd(A/ECHS)
HQ Wesst Comd(A/ECHS)
HQ Central Comd(A/ECHS)
Northern Comd(A/ECHS)
South West Comd (A/ECHS)
All Regional Centres

DELAY IN HANDING OVER OF ECHS SMART CARD TO ECHS BENEFICIARIES

Please refer to Central Organisation, ECHS letter No B/49711-IT/AG/ECHS dated 13 Sep 2018. (Copy enclosed).

The procedure of dispatching the 64 Kb ECHS Cards by the Card making company and their distribution by respective station HQ’s was given vide a/m letter. As on 17 Jul 2019, the card making company has printed and dispatched 8,33,468 cards to various station HQ’s through respective Regional Centres. It is seen that only 4,11,948 cards have been physically handed over by the station HQ’s to the beneficiaries. This shows that the rate of distribution by most of the station HQ’s is very low. This has led to dissatisfaction amongst the ESM.

In view of the above, it is requested that suitable instruction be passed to Station HQ’s under your justification to handover cards on priority and clear the backlog.

Sd/-

(Rakesh Kakar)

Col (Retd)

Jt Dir (Stats & Automation)

for MD ECHS

Source: ECHS

ECHS: Cabinet approves grant of medical facilities under Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Cabinet

Cabinet approves grant of medical facilities under Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) to World War-II Veterans, Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs), Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) and pre-mature retirees

More than 40,000 individual to be benefitted

07 MAR 2019

The Cabinet Meeting Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today approved the grant of Ex- Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) facilities to World War-II Veterans, Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs), Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) and pre-mature retirees.

As a result, over 43,000 individuals not covered so far under ECHS will be able to avail the benefits of cashless medical treatment under ECHS facilities through a network of over 425 ECHS polyclinics, over 2500 empanelled private hospitals and all Government hospitals throughout the country, subject to certain conditions.

As a special dispensation, war-widows will be exempt from one-time contribution to join ECHS.
Launched by NDA Government in April 2003, ECHS provides quality medicare to 54 lakh ex-servicemen pensioners, their dependents and a few other categories.

Measures for welfare of Ex-Servicemen:
Today's decision is yet another landmark step in the pro-active policies of the Government since its very first days for welfare of our valiant ex-servicemen, who rendered valuable service to the country.
Implementation of 'One Rank One Pension' for ex-servicemen, a demand which had been pending for over four decades, has resulted in over 20 lakh ex-servicemen receiving more thanRs. 35,000 Crore under the scheme. Other welfare measures by the Government for ex-servicemen include increase in pension by 40%, disability pension for pre-mature retirees, applicability of battle causality compensation at Line of Actual Control, Line of Control and International Border, financial assistance to soldiers on their supreme sacrifice through newly created Army Battle Causalities Welfare Fund, enhancement of ex-gratia ad-hoc allowance, Special Pension to Ex-sailors and skill development training in 36 job roles to over 30,000 retiring soldiers so far.

PIB

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Some empanelled hospitals have stopped providing services in the recent past citing reasons of delayed payments, excessive deductions and low CGHS rates. 384 empanelled facilities have not renewed Memorandum of Agreement with ECHS till date. 69 empanelled facilities have rejoined after establishment of online billing system by ECHS.

Actions like issuance of show cause notice, issuance of ‘stop referral’ pending investigations have been carried out against such defaulting hospitals. The hospitals have refunded the amount in most of the cases. Details of action taken against the hospitals are as under:

(i)	Disempanelled	-	01
(ii)	Stop Referral	-	25
(iii)	Panel Deductions	-	02
(iv)	Warnings	-	04

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Rajeshbhai Chudasama in Lok Sabha today.

PIB

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Some empanelled hospitals have stopped providing services in the recent past citing reasons of delayed payments, excessive deductions and low CGHS rates. 384 empanelled facilities have not renewed Memorandum of Agreement with ECHS till date. 69 empanelled facilities have rejoined after establishment of online billing system by ECHS.

Actions like issuance of show cause notice, issuance of ‘stop referral’ pending investigations have been carried out against such defaulting hospitals. The hospitals have refunded the amount in most of the cases. Details of action taken against the hospitals are as under:

(i)	Disempanelled	-	01
(ii)	Stop Referral	-	25
(iii)	Panel Deductions	-	02
(iv)	Warnings	-	04

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Rajeshbhai Chudasama in Lok Sabha today.

PIB

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme: Aim, Objective

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme: Aim, Objective

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO: 56
ANSWERED ON: 18.11.2016

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

MD. BADARIDDOZA KHAN
Will the Minister of
DEFENCE be pleased to state:-


(a) the details of aims and objectives of the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS);

(b) whether ECHS has fulfilled its mandated aims and objectives;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether shortcomings / deficiencies in the implementation of ECHS have come to the notice of the Government; and

(e) if so, he details thereof and the corrective measures taken by the Government thereon?


ANSWER
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI MANOHAR PARRIKAR)

(a) The aim and objective of the scheme is to provide quality healthcare to the Ex-Servicemen (ESM) pensioner and their dependents.

(b) & (c): Yes, Madam. Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) was launched on 1st April 2003. Its growth has been phenomenal. It had a beneficiary base of only about 3.5 lakh in 2003 and its beneficiary base has expanded to approximately 50 lakh. Having started with 13 Regional Centres and 227 Polyclinics, the Scheme expanded in October 2010 with 15 more Regional Centres and 199 Polyclinics, taking the total to 28 Regional Centres and 426 Polyclinics. Presently all Regional Centres and 421 Polyclinics are operational across the country. Further, ECHS has a large number of empanelled medical facilities.

(d) The shortcomings / deficiencies in the functioning of the empanelled hospitals, supply of medicines, budgetary and manpower matters, have come to the notice of the Government.

(e) Corrective steps taken / being taken to overcome the shortcomings / deficiencies include outsourcing of pharmacy, authorization of local chemists, enhancement of financial power of Officer in-charge of ECHS polyclinic to obviate the shortage of medicines, processing of medical bills of all 28 Regional Centres on-line as per rules, appropriate use of ECHS funds by the service hospitals, adherence to the terms and conditions of Memorandum of Agreement by the empanelled hospitals, recruitment of the manpower in ECHS polyclinics, de-duplication of ECHS smart cards etc.


Source: Loksabha.nic.in [Click to view/download]

Year wise enrolment of ECHS members

Year wise enrolment of ECHS members

Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) was launched with effect from 01 April 2003. Growth of ECHS Membership. Year wise enrolment of ECHS members in beneficiary base over the years is as under:-

Date as on	Members	Dependents	Total
31 Mar 05	78,999	2,84,262	3,63,261
31 Mar 06	2,60,876	7,21,778	9,82,654
31 Mar 07	4,24,823	10,82,589	15,07,412
31 Mar 08	6,33,596	14,69,295	21,02,891
31 Mar 09	9,51,763	20,70,157	30,21,920
31 Mar 10	10,64,225	23,03,185	33,67,410
31 Mar 11	11,58,559	25,00,704	36,59,263
31 Mar 12	12,41,700	27,31,732	39,73,432
31 Mar 13	13,25,567	29,49,268	42,74,835