No Extension of CS (MA) Rules To non-CGHS areas

No Extension of CS (MA) Rules To non-CGHS areas

Information under R.T.I. Act obtained by Sri S.S. Ramachandran, G.S., AICCPA, Delhi, regarding expenditure to be incurred in connection with application of CS (MA) Rules 1944 to pensioners – received as an enclosure to MoH &FW letter No. Z-28014/59/2011-MS dtd. 20.4.2012

Please refer to DO letter No. H-11022/5/2001-MS dtd. 16.7.2003 addressed to Secretary (Exp.) regarding recommendations made by the Committee on Petitions of Rajya Sabha in its 117th Report in connection with extension of CS (MA) Rules 1944 to the Central Government Pensioners living in areas not covered by CGHS.

2. The recommendations of the Committee have been examined. The 5th CPC had recommended for extension of CS (MA) Rules to the pensioners in a restricted manner so as to facilitate reimbursement of Expenditure on hospitalisation in a Government/private recognised hospital. Thus, 5th CPC had not envisaged extension of CS (MA) Rules for outdoor treatment.

3. The revised financial implications of Rs. 294.71 crore per annum have been computed after excluding pensioners of Departments of Railways. Defence and P&T. This, however, is not appropriate as even in the case of Railways. Railway Hospitals and Health Units are not available at all stations. In fact retired railwaymen had demanded certain concessions on this account from 5th CPC. Similar would be the case with exservicemen, a majority of whom are rural based and, therefore, cannot avail of the Information under R.T.I. Act obtained by Sri S.S. Ramachandran, G.S., AICCPA, Delhi, regarding expenditure to be incurred in connection with application of CS (MA) Rules 1944 to pensioners – received as an enclosure to MoH &FW letter No. Z-28014/59/2011-MS dtd. 20.4.2012, medical facilities available in the Armed Forces Hospitals/ Ml Room/Sick Bay/Sick Quarter, which are usually located at places, which are at a considerable distance. The revised financial implications of Rs. 294.71 crores per annum would, therefore, not
appear to be accurate as once CS (MA) facilities are extended to civilian pensioners, the same would also have to be made available to the pensioners of Departments of Railways, Defence and P&T especially as the Contributory Health Scheme introduced by Ministry of Defence for ex-servicemen also does not extend AMA facilities. Thus, the financial implication of implementing CS (MA) Rules in full to the pensioners are likely to be close to the original estimated cost of Rs. 1820 crores p.a. rather than the revised estimates of Rs. 294.71 crores p.a.

4. In view of the above it may not be possible to support the proposal for extension of CS (MA) Rules at this stage to the pensioners living in areas not covered under CGHS.

(Sd/-) Sushama Nath,
Secy (Expenditure), to Sri JVR Prasada Rao Secy.
Health MoH&FW, Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi.

Courtesy : Pensioners’ Counsellor, Delhi-92