The Uttarakhand government has decided to restore the benefit of cashless medical care facility for its employees. A proposal in this regard is likely to be brought before the state cabinet soon.

The measure would bring much needed relief for almost three lakhs serving and retired  employees of the state government. After the launch of the Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana (AAUY), the state government had suspended the cash less card scheme, the U health card scheme.

The secretary (in-charge) of medical health and family welfare department, Pankaj Kumar Pandey told The Pioneer that after discussion with the employee organisations and the experts the department has prepared a draft of the cash less scheme. 

The issue of the cash less health facility for the government employees was raised by the Congress members during the recent one day special session of Uttarakhand assembly.  The employee organisations however are keeping their fingers crossed about the new provisions of the government.

The officiating general secretary of the Rajya Karmchari Sanyukt Parishad (RKSP), Arun Pandey told The Pioneer that the employees want that the benefits similar to the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) should be provided to the employees. He said that the compulsion of the referral from a government hospital to the private hospital should be removed for the employees. Pandey said that treatment in the Out Patient Department (OPD) should also be included in the scheme.

 The employees want that the renowned multi-specialty hospitals in private sector should be brought into the panel of the scheme and the practice of referral from the government hospitals should be done away for them.

 It is expected that the an annual premium of Rs 4800 would be charged from the employee having grade pay in excess of Rs 6600 while those getting a grade pay of Rs 4200 to Rs 5400, a sum of Rs 3600 per annum is expected to be levied. For employees with less grade pay a sum of Rs 100 per month is expected to be charged.