Patients cannot use the cashless facility of four health insurance providers in 300 hospitals affiliated with the Ahmedabad Hospital and Nursing Homes Association (AHNA) from August 8 to August 15. More than 3000 beneficiary patients of New India Insurance Company Ltd, National Insurance Company Ltd, United India Insurance Company Ltd, and Oriental Insurance Company Ltd will be affected by this decision.
Dr Bharat Gadhvi, head of Ahmedabad Hospital and Nursing Homes Association, told Vibes of India (VO!) that this decision was not to disturb the patients. The four insurance companies haven’t yet responded to our letter of requests to increase the PPN (Preferred Provider Network) rates and improvise the payment method. If our demands are not listened to, then we will shut down the health insurance facility of these companies permanently.”
He further added, “companies are not interested in providing quality medical service to their consumers. The price hike has not been done for the last many years. PPN rates are not being given to hospitals. Rising inflation and health inflation. The rate should be increased by 6 per cent every year but the price has not been increased for many years.”
Dr Viren Shah, Secretary of AHNA said, “Many surgeries and procedure charges are pre-determined by insurance companies. Diseases like diabetes and heart disease have not been noticed, due to the prescribed fee, the work is of quality. Service is not possible. Shah insists that the hospital does not even get timely and full payment, cancer and replacement surgery is treated with modern technology but does not get a charge, wrongly deducted money even as hospital service goes.”
Advocate Jamir Shaikh of Gujarat High Court told VO!, “This fight between the insurance company and AHNA would have upset the consumer who has paid the premium of the cashless scheme only so that he can get relief in the time of calamity, the insurance company while charging the premium to the customer. It tells in which hospital he will get a cashless facility. This is direct to the benefit of the consumer. The condition of the agreement between the hospital and the insurance company becomes important in such a situation.”
Read More: Gujarati Family Defrauds Insurance Companies In The Name of Accidents
