Naveen asks health deptt to initiate cases against erring hosp

With allegations pouring in of people facing difficulties in getting benefits under different health insurance schemes in certain hospitals, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today asked the health department to initiate criminal cases against such erring institutes.
Stating that providing better health service was one of the top priorities of the state government, Patnaik said under no circumstances the people would be harassed by the hospital authorities, health minister Atanu S Nayak said after attending a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.
Patnaik issued the directions while reviewing implementation of the Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana and Rastriya Swastha Bima Yojana (RSBY) in the state.

He asked the health department to issue show cause notices to hospitals, which have been accused of denying benefits of health insurances to the needy.
Patnaik said he would review the health insurance schemes once in every two months, Nayak said adding the state government was contemplating to open a separate directorate to exclusively deal with health insurance schemes.
The state government has already spent Rs 26 crore under Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY) and above 55 lakh farmer families have been covered under the BKKY.
Similarly, Rs 108.46 crore have been provided to different insurance companies under the RSBY. As many as 44 lakh families have been registered under the RSBY in the state.