Uttarakhand Health Scheme Grapples with Rs 248 Crore in Pending Dues
During the Question Hour of the ongoing budget session on Thursday, Congress MLA from Almora, Manoj Tewari, raised a critical issue regarding the state government health scheme. He directed his query to Uttarakhand Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, inquiring about the status of pending payments under the scheme.
Minister Reveals Financial Details and Challenges
In his response, Minister Rawat provided a detailed breakdown of the scheme's financial health. He stated that since the fiscal year 2020-21, approximately 3.24 lakh government employees and their family members have availed services under the health scheme. During this period, payments totaling Rs 771 crore have been disbursed. However, a significant amount of Rs 248 crore remains pending in dues.
Of this pending amount, Rs 180 crore is owed to empanelled hospitals, while Rs 68 crore is due as reimbursements to employees who have paid out-of-pocket for medical expenses. The minister highlighted a structural financial gap, noting that the monthly contribution from government employees and pensioners under the scheme is about Rs 12 crore, whereas the monthly expenditure averages around Rs 20 crore.
Government Measures to Address the Shortfall
To bridge this financial deficit and clear the pending payments, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has authorized loans to the state health authority. Specifically, loans of Rs 37 crore and Rs 75 crore have been provided to meet expenses and facilitate payment clearances. Minister Rawat emphasized that these measures are part of ongoing efforts to stabilize the scheme's finances.
Regarding the contribution structure, the minister detailed that employees in pay levels 1 to 5 contribute a minimum of Rs 250 per month, while those in level 12 and above contribute Rs 1,000 per month. He added that the health department has engaged in discussions with employee organizations to explore possibilities for increasing these contributions, aiming to enhance the scheme's sustainability.
Expansion of Empanelled Hospitals and Additional Queries
In response to another question posed by MLA Virendra Kumar, Minister Rawat disclosed that a total of 310 private and government hospitals have been empanelled under the state government health scheme to date. He assured that efforts are actively underway to include more major private hospitals, thereby expanding access and options for beneficiaries.
The revelations during the budget session underscore the challenges faced by Uttarakhand's health scheme in managing its financial obligations while continuing to provide essential services to a large number of government employees and their families.
