The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : High-cost surgeries in Arogyasri next

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

High-cost surgeries in Arogyasri next

Special Correspondent

PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

BALANCING ACT: Minister for Minor Irrigation M. Venkateswara Rao balancing water bottles at the ‘Workshop on Arogyasri ’ in the Assembly on Friday. -

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Friday hinted at inclusion of high-cost surgeries like knee and hip joint replacement in the next phase of the Rajiv Arogyasri programme.

Clarifying doubts of the MLAs and MLCs at a workshop for raising awareness about the health insurance programme, Dr. Reddy said these surgeries cost a steep Rs. 4 lakh now and if the hospitals brought the rates down, these could be included in the next phase.

After an elaborate presentation by P. K. Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Medical and Health Department and Babu, chief executive officer of the Arogyasri Health Care Trust, legislators posed a volley of questions, indicating teething problems in the scheme. The officials explained that the real time monitoring of the scheme from registration to actual surgery and online payment ensured that there was no misuse of funds.

The Chief Minister, who responded to most of the queries, said there were some minor problems which would be overcome in the coming months. To a question by Ramana Reddy, MLC from Warangal, on problems faced by road accident victims, he said it was partly because the hospitals were not sure if the victim possessed white ration card or not. To another query, Dr. Reddy said the members need to complain to the trust if patients were turned away after performing diagnostic tests. This could be due to increase in workload of the hospitals. He said all problems would be overcome soon.

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