PANAJI
Three days after notifying its decision to provide insurance coverage to Covid-19 treatment under the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY), the state government on Sunday kept the notification in abeyance.
Confirming the development, the Health Minister stated, “After deliberation with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, we have decided to cancel the notification issued to cover Covid-19 treatment under DDSSY. A fresh notification will be issued in consultation with the CM.”
Sources from the Health Department disclosed that rates under DDSSY are likely to be rectified and increased even as the murmurs of displeasure grows within the private medical sector. The state government backtracked as the higher authorities did not consult certain ministers prior to issuing the notification, the source disclosed.
The state government’s decision to cover Covid-19 treatment under DDSSY came on the backdrop of rising mortality rate and mounting pressure on government-run Covid facilities. It was believed that bringing Covid-19 in the bouquet of diseases covered under the DDSSY scheme, would encourage people to get themselves admitted to hospitals before it is too late.
As per the notification which was published in the official Gazette on October 8, mild Covid cases were covered to an extent of Rs 4,600 per day with provision of Rs 64,400 for a 14 day package and critical ones for Rs 6,600 per day with Rs 92,400 set for a 14 day package.
The state government began taking steps to regulate the financial aspect of seeking treatment for the infection with the capping of charges for treatment at private hospitals. This decision too was revised before settling on the cap of Rs 10,000 per day for general Covid ward, Rs 13,000 per day for twin sharing Covid wards, Rs 16,000 per day for single private rooms and ICU with ventilator occupancy being capped at Rs 24,000 per day. The rates were reduced by Rs 2,000 per package except for the ICU with ventilator bracket, which was reduced by Rs 1,000.
The packages include admission charges, intensivist, primary and specialist consultant charges, bed charges, nursing and resident doctor charges, nutritional diet, PPE kits for staff, X-ray, ECG, USG,2D echo-cardio monitor, infusion pump, catheterization, CBC, PPBSL, HBA 1c, creatinine zinc, vitamin D, paracetamol, antacid, antiallergic, hydroxichloroquine, azithromycin, doxycycline, levoflaxin, dexamthasone, ivermectin, dietary changes.
However, the packages do not include charges for diagnostic interventions, special drugs, use of special equipment, other special procedures including surgery and extra oxygen flow other than ICU.
Congress flay for doing volte face
PANAJI: Alleging that the decision to cancel the notification covering Covid treatment under DDSSY is a result of a dispute which arose between the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the Health Minister on 'commission sharing', Congress flayed the state government for making business of people’s sickness.
“In seeking private interests, the BJP government has put common man under hardships and financial burden,” stated Goa Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Amarnath Panjikar while reacting to the tweet posted by the Health Minister on decision of Government to cancel the notification covering Covid treatment under DDSSY.
Panjikar said that this decision vindicates the charge of the Congress that the CM and Health Minister are busy making fortunes during the pandemic.
