New Delhi: Taking serious note of several
insurance firms withdrawing cashless facility from certain
private hospitals, Delhi Government today said it would take
every possible step to ensure that people are "not held to
ransom" in the "fight" between hospitals and insurance firms.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, promising to look into
the issue, said her government needed a week`s time to try to
find a solution.
Terming it as a "serious issue", Delhi Health Minister
Kiran Walia said the decision to discontinue the facility
on the ground that hospitals often submit inflated bills to
the companies for treating people having cashless insurance
cover has "impacted a large number of patients.
"We are really concerned as we know the impact. We
cannot allow somebody to hold the patient to ransom in the
fight," Walia said.
She said some health insurance companies stopped the
cashless facility with effect from July one for treatment in
some of the city hospitals citing submission of inflated bills
by the hospitals.
"We will do something. Give us some time. We will hold
talks within a week and try to find a solution to the
problem," Dikshit said.
Noting that the issue has legal aspects and involves
the Union Government, Walia said the "Delhi Government was
examining whether it could resolve it".
"We will do whatever little we can do. We will take
every possible step to ensure that people do not face
difficulties. It is a serious issue. You cannot throw the baby
with the bath water," she said.
People having cashless health insurance policy do not
require to pay any amount for treatment at the hospitals
covered under the scheme as the hospitals get the cost of the
treatment from the insurance companies.
PTI
