Principal Secretary (Health) Gayatri Rathore said eight hospitals and diagnostic centres were de-empanelled in the past month. She said cases of improper treatment and other irregularities by these hospitals had come to light. “Strict action was taken after departmental inquiries and audits confirmed the violations,” Rathore said.
Jaipur: Eight hospitals and diagnostic centres were de-empanelled from the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) in the last one month for alleged irregularities by the state authorities, officials said on Saturday.
They said the medical and health department is continuously strengthening the scheme and ensuring strict action against hospitals, pharmacy stores and beneficiaries found violating its norms.
Principal Secretary (Health) Gayatri Rathore said eight hospitals and diagnostic centres were de-empanelled in the past month. In addition, the transaction management system (TMS) of two hospitals has been blocked and their payments withheld, while the TMS of three other hospitals has been suspended for three months.
She said cases of improper treatment and other irregularities by these hospitals had come to light. “Strict action was taken after departmental inquiries and audits confirmed the violations,” Rathore said.
RGHS Project Officer Nidhi Patel said that in two cases during the past month, hospitals were directed to refund Rs 2,82,044 that had been wrongly collected in cash from beneficiaries.
She said 11 pharmacies were suspended, while about Rs 8 lakh was recovered from pharmacies in January.
Notices have also been issued to recover around Rs 23 lakh from pharmacies, Patel said.
She added that action has been initiated against a beneficiary for allegedly availing benefits improperly, while letters have been sent to the department seeking disciplinary action, including suspension, against two doctors for providing unjustified treatment.
Letters have also been issued for departmental and disciplinary action against five other doctors.
The RGHS provides cashless medical treatment to government employees, pensioners and their dependents across the state.
Earlier, the state health department had taken action against six pharma stores for alleged irregularities in the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) in the past week, officials said.
The FIRs have been registered against four pharma stores, while two other stores have been suspended from the scheme. Additionally, 14 personnel have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the irregularities, they said.
In a statement, Principal Secretary Gayatri Rathore said the government is following a zero-tolerance policy against misuse of the scheme. Department action and recovery have been initiated against 19 beneficiaries, while more personnel have been suspended in recent cases.
Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency CEO Harjeelal Atal said two pharma stores in Bhilwara wrongly claimed RGHS payments for medicines not procured by them, causing a loss of about Rs 27 lakh to the exchequer.
The cases have been registered against them, and their drug licences are cancelled, he said.
Similar irregularities were found at Confed (govt) pharma stores in Nagaur, while two Confed stores in Bikaner and Hanumangarh were suspended, he said