TJAC Submits Plan for New Health Scheme

Hyderabad: The Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) submitted a proposal to the state government for a new health scheme to resolve medical reimbursement challenges faced by employees. The proposal was handed over to health minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, urging the government to implement a comprehensive Employee Health Scheme (EHS) for Telangana employees, pensioners, and their dependents.

JAC chairman V. Latchi Reddy, speaking on the occasion, said, “Implementing this health scheme will enhance the state government's reputation and will not impose any financial burden. The ongoing issues faced by employees, especially those impacted by GO 317, need to be addressed immediately. Though government orders enabling cashless health facilities under EHS were issued earlier, they were never implemented, and the outdated reimbursement system continues.”

Reddy further explained that employees, teachers, and pensioners are willing to contribute monthly to the EHS, with the amount being deducted from their pay slips. The government, in turn, is expected to contribute an equal amount as a matching grant, which would be reflected under earnings in the pay slip. The deductions would then be remitted to the EHS account, managed by the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust.

Currently, employees are often forced to search for referral hospitals even in emergency situations, leading many to take out high-interest private loans to cover medical expenses. Reddy emphasised that if the breadwinner of a family is hospitalised, the financial burden is even more severe, with reimbursement delays stretching from one to two years.

The JAC urged the state government to act swiftly in implementing the new health scheme to alleviate these longstanding issues.