Uttarakhand: Health department gives shock to government employees, preparations for change in Golden Card scheme

The state government is running the Golden Card Scheme to provide health benefits to the state employees, pensioners and their dependents of Uttarakhand, but now this scheme is becoming a noose around the neck of the government, because under the Golden Card Scheme, more money is being spent on cashless treatment than the contribution received from the state employees and pensioners. Due to which now the Health Department has decided to change this scheme. However, the decision to change will be taken after discussing with the employees.

The matter of cashless treatment facility being given to the employees and pensioners through the Golden Card was also a topic of discussion in the House. On which Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that Golden Cards of about 4 lakh 85 thousand government employees and pensioners have been made in Uttarakhand. After the start of this scheme i.e. from January 2021 to January 2025, the department has received Rs 490.29 crore as contribution, while during this period about Rs 661 crore has been spent on the treatment of employees and pensioners.

Under the Golden Card Scheme, employees and pensioners are being provided cashless treatment facility in the listed hospitals. Due to which 80 crores are still to be paid to the hospitals. Also, 4.69 crores are to be paid under the head of medical reimbursement.

Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that cashless treatment of employees and pensioners is being done very well, but there are some practical problems in it. A meeting will be held with the employee organization regarding this and a solution will be found soon. He said that what changes are to be made in the scheme. This will be known only after discussion, but treating the employees is the priority of the government.