Soon after the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) came under the purview of medical and health department from finance department, the medical department has initiated action to improve the monitoring and implementation of the scheme.
The RGHS, which is a health insurance scheme for Rajasthan government employees, is plagued with high level of irregularities and corruption.
Medical and health department principal secretary Gayatri Rathore swung into action immediately and started working for a corrosion free system to run the scheme effectively.
She said that the department is working on a foolproof to ensure zero corruption and harassment free medical treatment to beneficiaries.
Medical and health department's unit – Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency – which has successfully implemented Chief Minister Ayushman Arogya Yojana, has been given responsibility to implement the RGHS as well. Under Arogya Yojana, more than 1.34 crore families of the state are getting medical insurance benefits.
Action plan for improvement
Rathore directed the agency officials to study all aspects of the RGHS scheme at the earliest and prepare an action plan to improve it so that there is no scope for irregularity at any level in the scheme.
In the scheme, all processes including empanelment of hospitals and drug stores, registration of patients in OPD and IPD, TID generation, approval of treatment should be studied in depth and strengthened. Wherever there is a need for improvement, action should be taken immediately.
Feedback option on the portal, SOP for clear guidelines
Rathore said that with a view to the effective operation of the scheme, a feedback option should be made available on the portal, on which the beneficiaries can give their review about the scheme. This will detect the problems in getting benefits from the scheme and overcome them in time.
She said that an SOP should also be prepared for the scheme, which has clear guidelines regarding treatment.
Rathore said that the process of payment to hospitals in the scheme should be on a first come, first served basis and be completely transparent.
Scheme to be made patient friendly
Priyanka Goswami, Chief Executive Officer, Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency, said that the agency has started the necessary preparations for strengthening the scheme.
“Soon the necessary reforms will be made in the scheme and it will be made patient-friendly. Our effort is to develop such a system, which does not cause any irregularity at any level. Necessary improvements will also be made at the technical level in the scheme,” she said.
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