PANAJI: State Government is on course of levying nominal charges on non-Goan patients opting for treatment at Goa Medical College (GMC) & Hospital, Bambolim and two district hospitals - Hospicio, Margao and Asilo, Mapusa.
To finalise on these nominal charges, State Government will appoint a committee under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary (Health) which will work out the payment structure for patients opting for treatment in these three hospitals.
However, if this committee manages to submit its report earlier, the State Government may begin charging non-Goans from December 1 onwards.
Speaking over the issue, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said, "We have not taken any decision as yet on whether to levy nominal charges on patients from outside Goa, but some time or the other we will have to do the billing for them as we are paying money to the insurance company. If possible, we can give them concession later."
It may be recalled that the State Government had formulated a similar proposal, but it had failed to take off. Since last year, the State Government has implemented the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY), to provide medical insurance cover to all Goans.
Speaking to The Goan Everyday, a State Government official stated that most of the Goans use their DDSSY card at these hospitals but patients who come to GMC and district hospitals from outside avail of the treatments free of cost.
"As sizeable number of patients from neighbouring states visit GMC and district hospitals for treatment free of cost, it has been decided to do the billing for their treatment from December onwards", said the official.
The official also informed that Parrikar and the health minister have already given their go-ahead for this proposal and it would be first implemented in GMC, Asilo and Hospicio.
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We have not taken any decision as yet on whether to levy nominal charges on patients from outside Goa, but some time or the other we will have to do the billing for them as we are paying money to the insurance company. If possible, we can give them concession later
- Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister
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Maharashtra mulls
empanelling GMC
PANAJI: With sizeable number of patients from Sindhudurg visiting GMC, Bambolim for treatment, Maharashtra Government has plans to empanel GMC under their Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, the medical insurance scheme of Maharashtra Government.
Speaking to The Goan Everyday, Maharashtra Minister of State for Finance Deepak Kesarkar said, "We have plans to empanel GMC under the health insurance scheme of Maharashtra Government. So that once people avail of treatment in GMC, the amount would be paid by Maharashtra Government to Goa Government. The proposal is under consideration."
