Shillong, Aug 13: The Meghalaya Government is moving towards offering its employees a health insurance facility similar to the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS), which currently benefits the general public.
According to Principal Secretary for Health, Sampath Kumar, the proposal aims to spare government servants from having to pay for medical treatment upfront. “Under MHIS, beneficiaries can directly avail treatment at empanelled hospitals. Government employees, however, have to pay first and then seek reimbursement, which often causes delays,” he said.
Kumar recalled that earlier, government staff could use arrangements like eMitra in hospitals but were not allowed to claim benefits from two different schemes for the same treatment. The current goal, he explained, is to create a model where government officials can enjoy a direct cashless facility similar to MHIS, eliminating the need for upfront payments.
He described the move as a policy decision in the making, with suggestions being gathered from medical superintendents and District Medical and Health Officers (DMHOs) across the state.
“Today’s meeting was essentially a brainstorming session to identify existing problems and find workable solutions,” Kumar said, adding that the Health Minister is spearheading the initiative despite being unable to attend due to prior engagements.
The idea builds on a recent review chaired by the Chief Minister, which also involved private hospitals and a health summit. The Health Department has since examined MHIS claim rejections, which Kumar noted “have shown significant improvement.”
Kumar emphasised that employees would not be permitted to claim benefits from both MHIS and the reimbursement scheme for the same medical case, stating that “double claims are not permissible.”
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