Hyderabad: The Telangana government will take key decisions on a new employee’s health scheme for staff and pensioners at a high-level meeting on Thursday.
Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao will chair the meeting at 3 pm at the Secretariat. The Chief Executive Officer of the Rajiv Aarogyasri Trust, senior officials and representatives of employee unions will attend to review the structure of the new scheme.
Officials said the Telangana government initiated the new employee’s health scheme after identifying gaps in the existing medical coverage system. The proposed reform seeks to ensure reliable cashless treatment for government employees, teachers and pensioners.
At present, the Rajiv Aarogyasri Trust manages health services for employees and retirees. However, payment delays to private hospitals have reduced the effectiveness of the current arrangement.
Because of pending dues, several hospitals hesitate to accept employee health cards. In addition, many employees pay hospital bills first and later seek reimbursement, yet authorities refund only part of the amount.
New employees’ health scheme to follow a trust-based structure
The Telangana government will implement the new programme through a dedicated Employees Health Care Trust.
Under the proposed scheme, employees will contribute 1.5 per cent of their basic pay. For example, an employee drawing ₹50,000 basic pay will contribute ₹750 per month.
Officials expect Thursday’s meeting to clarify contribution norms, coverage scope and rollout timelines under the new employee’s health scheme.
Initially, the Telangana govt considered an insurance-based model. However, it later opted for a trust-based structure for better administrative control. The Rajiv Aarogyasri Trust will supervise the programme once implemented.