Railway Board approves cashless tests for serving, retd staff

Chennai

From now, employees would only need a prescription from a Railway doctor and a medical card (UMID card) to undergo tests prescribed by the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) at private centres and labs recognised by the Railways.

Balonda, Executive Director (S&T), Transformation Cell of the Railway Board, approved cashless investigation of Railway Medical Beneficiary for diagnostic tests as per prescribed CGHS tests and CGHS rates from private labs or labs recognised by railways. The order dated June 30 has stipulated that cashless investigation for diagnostics tests should be allowed with two documents: original or attested copy of the prescription by a Railway doctor and copy of UMID card/RELHS card/medical card of the patient and main cardholder. Private labs would produce the bills to the authority as is done in the case of referrals, and the amount would be paid as per CGHS rates. The Board has also instructed the zones to prepare a procedure for smooth implementation and clearance of the bills.

“Though the Board has not specified COVID test, it is understood that any test deemed necessary by the Railway doctor can be done without cash on producing the two documents. Employees have been doing it already, but it involved a lot of paperwork. Now, they only need a doctor’s reference and medical card,” a Railway official said.

“Given the kind of queue we witness at government facilities, especially in a city like Chennai, we don’t have to wait at Railway hospitals or other government facilities. If the Railway doctor prescribes, an employee or a member of his family can get it done at a recognised private lab without hassles,” the official said, adding that it would reduce the burden on Railway hospitals.