aximum of Tk 10 lakh support to the beneficiaries as hospitalization care. “We have already conducted a feasibility study on the health insurance for government employees and the commission will make a comprehensive recommendation to the government in this regard,” Pay Commission chairman Dr Mohammed Farashuddin told daily sun. A draft of the recommendation has been placed before to the Pay Commission chairman on September 16. The proposed draft of the health coverage scheme says the government can provide comprehensive health insurance to the public servants with a consortium of some best performing insurance companies (both public and private) and the employees would be able to take both surgical and non-surgical hospitalization care (including medicine, OT, cabin, physician and nursing services) at one-stop solution basis at both public hospitals (District Hospitals, Medical College Hospitals and specialized hospitals) and private hospitals paying nothing while consuming the services. However, some necessary renovations and extensions for sufficient cabin facilities, procurement of all necessary drugs in sufficient amount, provision of some local funds for regular maintenance of the equipment and smoothening and increasing the quality of care are needed in the public hospitals, as recommended by the report. Conducting the feasibility study, Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid, an Associate Professor of Institute of Health Economics at Dhaka University, recommends that a compulsory health insurance scheme for the government employees can be introduced primarily for a block period of five years charging premium of Tk 200 to maximum Tk 500 monthly. The amount of the premium will be deducted from the salary. Dr. Hamid says if the government fixes the premium at Tk 500, an employee and the eligible family members can be provided a maximum benefit of Tk 10 lakh for hospitalization care for a 5-year time while Tk 4 lakh may be provided if the government fixes the premium at Tk 200. This will be a classless model and hence, the beneficiaries do not need to pay a penny from their pockets till crossing the limit of the said amount. The study mentions about 11 lakh public servants and estimates that some 44 lakh people (including the eligible members) will be covered under the health policy. The proposed draft also says that the scheme will continue after the end of the previous one; however, for ease of implementation a block of 5 of years or so may be considered for each time. Apart from this, the Pay Commission will also recommend the government to increase the group life insurance premium to Tk 100 from Tk 40. By doing so, the death benefit can be increased by 5 folds compared to the existing Tk 1 lakh. In addition, a sizable accident-related disability benefit and pay back of the entire premium amount paid by the employee at the end of service tenure may be provided if the accumulated funds are invested properly. The Employees Welfare Board supervises the present group life insurance policies. The draft report suggests to involve the consortium of best performing life insurance companies (both public and private) for better risk management of life insurance policies. Dr. Hamid told daily sun that he was asked by the Pay Commission on August 15 to give an expert opinion on health, life and accident package for the government employees within one month. “Though it is hard to put opinions in such a short time, I have placed the draft report with some recommendations on 16 September,” he said, adding that the Pay Commission and government would consider the recommendations. The Awami League-led grand alliance government formed a 17-member Pay Commission headed by former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Mohammad Farashuddin on November 22 last year to prepare a new pay structures for the public servants. The new Pay Commission was assigned to submit a report within six months with recommendations for reducing the discrimination of salaries of government staff members under the present pay and service structures. The formation of the Pay Commission came following long-standing demand of the public servants and employees for a fair structure of compensation, including all due job benefits adjusting the inflation. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in his last budget speech said the government would implement the new pay scale for its employees by 2014-2015 fiscal.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Health insurance for govt employees on the cards:Daily Sun
aximum of Tk 10 lakh support to the beneficiaries as hospitalization care. “We have already conducted a feasibility study on the health insurance for government employees and the commission will make a comprehensive recommendation to the government in this regard,” Pay Commission chairman Dr Mohammed Farashuddin told daily sun. A draft of the recommendation has been placed before to the Pay Commission chairman on September 16. The proposed draft of the health coverage scheme says the government can provide comprehensive health insurance to the public servants with a consortium of some best performing insurance companies (both public and private) and the employees would be able to take both surgical and non-surgical hospitalization care (including medicine, OT, cabin, physician and nursing services) at one-stop solution basis at both public hospitals (District Hospitals, Medical College Hospitals and specialized hospitals) and private hospitals paying nothing while consuming the services. However, some necessary renovations and extensions for sufficient cabin facilities, procurement of all necessary drugs in sufficient amount, provision of some local funds for regular maintenance of the equipment and smoothening and increasing the quality of care are needed in the public hospitals, as recommended by the report. Conducting the feasibility study, Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid, an Associate Professor of Institute of Health Economics at Dhaka University, recommends that a compulsory health insurance scheme for the government employees can be introduced primarily for a block period of five years charging premium of Tk 200 to maximum Tk 500 monthly. The amount of the premium will be deducted from the salary. Dr. Hamid says if the government fixes the premium at Tk 500, an employee and the eligible family members can be provided a maximum benefit of Tk 10 lakh for hospitalization care for a 5-year time while Tk 4 lakh may be provided if the government fixes the premium at Tk 200. This will be a classless model and hence, the beneficiaries do not need to pay a penny from their pockets till crossing the limit of the said amount. The study mentions about 11 lakh public servants and estimates that some 44 lakh people (including the eligible members) will be covered under the health policy. The proposed draft also says that the scheme will continue after the end of the previous one; however, for ease of implementation a block of 5 of years or so may be considered for each time. Apart from this, the Pay Commission will also recommend the government to increase the group life insurance premium to Tk 100 from Tk 40. By doing so, the death benefit can be increased by 5 folds compared to the existing Tk 1 lakh. In addition, a sizable accident-related disability benefit and pay back of the entire premium amount paid by the employee at the end of service tenure may be provided if the accumulated funds are invested properly. The Employees Welfare Board supervises the present group life insurance policies. The draft report suggests to involve the consortium of best performing life insurance companies (both public and private) for better risk management of life insurance policies. Dr. Hamid told daily sun that he was asked by the Pay Commission on August 15 to give an expert opinion on health, life and accident package for the government employees within one month. “Though it is hard to put opinions in such a short time, I have placed the draft report with some recommendations on 16 September,” he said, adding that the Pay Commission and government would consider the recommendations. The Awami League-led grand alliance government formed a 17-member Pay Commission headed by former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Mohammad Farashuddin on November 22 last year to prepare a new pay structures for the public servants. The new Pay Commission was assigned to submit a report within six months with recommendations for reducing the discrimination of salaries of government staff members under the present pay and service structures. The formation of the Pay Commission came following long-standing demand of the public servants and employees for a fair structure of compensation, including all due job benefits adjusting the inflation. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in his last budget speech said the government would implement the new pay scale for its employees by 2014-2015 fiscal.
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