Big news for ESIC beneficiaries, now in private hospital can also be treated

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) on Monday allowed its beneficiaries to seek health services in any private hospital nearby in an emergency. Under the existing system, the insured persons and beneficiaries (family members) who are under the purview of the ESIC scheme are required to first go to the ESIC Hospital for treatment, from there they are again referred to the empaneled hospitals.

Workers’ Organization Coordination Committee (TUCC) general secretary SP Tiwari said, “The board meeting on Monday has abolished the pre-condition of ‘referral’ from ESIC hospital or hospitals for treatment in other hospitals in an emergency.”  Tiwari, who is on the board of ESIC, said that this decision has been taken in emergency medical cases like heart attack. A heart attack requires immediate treatment.

ESIC shareholders can attend a panel or other private hospitals for treatment in an emergency. While the treatment in the empaneled hospitals will be ‘cashless’, in other private hospitals the treatment can be paid later by paying the expenses. Its treatment rates will be in line with Central Government Health Service (CGHS) rates.