Telangana: ESI staff fume over in-patient eligibility norms

Hyderabad: In-patient services in hospitals will be available to ESI employees if they have been in service for two years and completed 156 days of working. This decision was conveyed to all the employees on November 7. Mr V. Rama Rao, an employee, said, “How can eligibility for in-patient treatment start after two years when the health insurance is deducted from the first month. In case of congenital diseases, haemophilia and other trauma-related cases the patient will have to be admitted in the hospital. The new rules are not fair.”

For haemophilia patients, treatment is available under the ESI health insurance scheme and their cases are often complex if injuries are deep. Dr Naveen Saxena, special medical officer, said, “We have stated that the decision has to be taken on a case-to-case basis. It has been specified in the order.” The provision is made to prevent misuse of the system.