In this post, we shall discuss about the treatment of retired soldiers in Military Hospitals and ECHS empanelled hospitals.
The full form of ECHS is Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme. This scheme ensures the best medical facilities for the retired soldiers and their dependents. ECHS is regularly revamping the scheme to make it more beneficial and easy to access. In this process, they have introduced 64 KB Card to match with the present-day Information Technology, Online portal of ECHS, ECHS Beneficiaries App and empaneling the reputed hospitals of the country. In this post, we shall discuss about the treatment of retired soldiers in Military Hospitals and ECHS empanelled hospitals.
Treatment Procedure adopted by the ECHS Polyclinic
We all know that retired soldiers and their dependents get their routine medical facilities at their dependent ECHS Polyclinic. Recently, ECHS has introduced 64 KB Smart Card to match with the present-day technology. This has its own added benefits.
ECHS Polyclinics provides basic medical and follow-up medicines to its members. However, for specialized treatment/diagnostics, the beneficiaries are referred to service hospitals or empaneled hospitals/laboratories. For this, the beneficiary has to visit his Polyclinic medical officer after getting online registration or on-the-spot registration at the polyclinic through his ECHS Card. ECHS polyclinics generally have a dispensary, Small lab, X-ray facility, etc. Here, the beneficiary, can get himself checked for his ailments and get follow-up medicines as well as medicines prescribed by the doctor from the dispensary through the slip generated upon visit. Diagnostic tests can also be done which are available at the Polyclinic.
If the required treatment/specialist/diagnostic facility is not available at the polyclinic, the beneficiary is referred to Military Hospital/ECHS Empaneled Hospital/lab for further treatment/diagnostics.
Here, a complete flow chart is given for easy understanding.
ECHS beneficiary is referred to the Military Hospital in case the same is available in the same station.
The ECHS beneficiary gets treatments/diagnostics available at Hospitals. He can also be admitted to the service hospital if needed.
In case of non-availability of beds, the beneficiary can be advised to get treatment at some empaneled hospital. In this case, the ESM has to visit his polyclinic to get a fresh referral for the empaneled hospital.
When a polyclinic is situated at a non-military station, the beneficiary is referred directly to an empaneled hospital or diagnostic facility. In this case, the beneficiaries get their treatment or diagnostics at the empaneled hospital/facility on a cashless basis. These hospitals/diagnostic facilities can get the bills claimed from ECHS directly. The beneficiary need not worry about that. In case of emergency, the ECHS beneficiary can go to the empaneled hospital directly without any referral.
The procedure of Emergency Treatment at Empaneled Hospital.
Based on the EIR, polyclinic issues a referral form in favor of the empaneled hospital for giving cashless treatment to the beneficiary.
The beneficiary is not required to make any payment to the hospital. The hospital can get the bills paid from the ECHS directly.
Procedure for Emergency Treatment at Non-Empaneled Hospital
The beneficiary can get treatment at a non-empaneled hospital in an emergency.
However, he or his relatives have to inform his parent polyclinic for such admission within 48 hours.
He has to pay the hospital bills from his pocket and claim from ECHS afterward.