MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
(a): Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESIS) provides medical and diagnostic
facilities in the system of Allopathy and AYUSH which includes Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani,
Homeopathy and yoga through its hospitals and dispensaries in the country. Further, ESI
medical scheme provides all the three levels of medical care i.e. primary, secondary and
tertiary medical care including super speciality medical care services. Under the ESI
Corporation full medical care is available to its beneficiaries which includes preventive,
promotive, curative and rehabilitation services. Various facilities available are:
# Health education
# Family welfare services
# Immunization services
# HIV and AIDS control services
# Outpatients, inpatients, emergency medical services
# Diagnostic laboratory and radiological services
# Antenatal, natal and post natal services
# Occupational health services
# Super speciality services including specialized investigations
# Physical and vocational rehabilitation
# Ambulance services
# Artificial aids and appliances such as spectacles, dentures, hearing aids, artificial
limbs etc.
# Drugs and dressings.
(b) & (c): The facilities available through ESI Hospitals and dispensaries are generally
satisfactory. The facilities which are not available in ESI Hospitals and dispensaries are
provided to the ESI beneficiaries through tie up arrangement with reputed Government and
private hospitals and diagnostic centres which include super speciality / tertiary medical
care services.
(d) & (e): Some complaints are received from time to time. ESIC has taken several steps
for improving the medical care services under the ESIS, which are as under:-
# Revolving fund scheme: To cut down delays in provision of super speciality treatment,
supply of drugs and dressings and repair & maintenance of equipments, ESIC has set up revolving
fund with the consent of State Government. Under this scheme the payment is made by ESIC
against the valid sanction of the State Government out of the money kept with the State
Medical Commissioner office of ESI Corporation.
# Model Hospital Scheme: ESI Corporation has taken a decision to set up one hospital in
each State as Model Hospital. At present, ESIC has set up Model Hospitals in 18 States.
These hospitals are being up graded as per norms and standards laid down by ESI Corporation.
The expenditure on Model Hospitals is fully borne by ESI Corporation.
# ESI Scheme is implemented directly by ESI Corporation in new geographical areas.
# ESI Corporation has written to the State Governments to give their consent for handing
over the ESI Scheme to ESI Corporation.
# Zonal Super Speciality Hospitals: Four Super speciality hospitals have been proposed to
be set up in four zones i.e. South, East, West and North zone. In the first phase, super
speciality hospital is proposed to be set up at Sanath Nagar, Hyderabad for South Zone and the
foundation stone for the same has already been laid and construction work is to be started
shortly.
# Central Rate Contract for Allopathic & Ayurvedic Drugs: To ensure uniformity in the
supply of good quality drugs, ESIC is formulating Rate Contract for drugs following transparent
bidding procedure and strict eligibility criteria which are provided to the States for
adoption.
# Norms and Standards: ESIC has formulated norms and standards for staff and equipments
for smooth functioning of hospitals and dispensaries.
# Decentralization: Powers have been delegated to the State Medical Commissioners for
sanction of equipments, release of advance on account payments and repair & maintenance of
equipments.
# Occupational Disease Centre: ESI Corporation has set up five occupational disease
centres at Basaidarapur (New Delhi), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Kolkata (West Bengal), Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh) for prevention, early detection and diagnosis of
occupational diseases amongst ESI beneficiaries. Special emphasis is being given for
prevention of occupational diseases in insured persons working in hazardous industries.
# Preventive Health Services: To strengthen promotive and preventive health services
under ESI medical scheme, ESI Corporation has allocated a separate budget of Rs.20/- per IP
family unit per annum. This will help in prevention of diseases like diabetes, Hypertension,
HIV /AIDS and also promote healthy life styles amongst beneficiaries.
# Expenditure on Super Speciality Treatment: To provide cashless and hassle free medical
services, ESI Corporation has taken a decision for bearing the super speciality expenditure
directly w.e.f. 01.08.2008. For this tie up arrangements have been made directly by ESIC with
reputed and Government/private hospitals for speciality investigations and services.
# IVF Treatment: ESI Corporation is providing artificial re-production and IVF treatment
facilities to insured persons.
# Expansion of Ayush Facilities: ESI Corporation is expanding provision of AYUSH
facilities in ESI Hospitals and dispensaries as per the local requirements of the area. For
promoting the same, the total expenditure on provision of AYUSH facilities in the first five
years is fully borne by ESI Corporation.
# Patient Satisfaction Survey: ESI Corporation has undertaken patient satisfaction
survey in ESI Hospitals by independent agencies and is taking various actions based on the
findings of the survey for improving the medical care facilities in ESI Hospitals.
# Grading and ISO Certification of ESI Hospitals and Dispensaries: ESI Corporation is
getting its hospitals and dispensaries graded by reputed organizations. Further action has
been initiated for getting ISO certification in respect of hospitals and dispensaries.
# IT enablement of ESI Institutions: To provide quick and hassle free medical care
services, ESI Corporation has undertaken a plan for IT enablement of ESI Hospitals and
dispensaries.
# Starting of Medical Education Institution: As a part of initiative for overcoming the
shortage of medical manpower and improving the services in ESI Hospitals, ESI Corporation has
undertaken a project for starting medical colleges, nursing colleges, dental colleges and
training school for other para medical staff in ESIC /ESI Hospitals. In the first phase,
it is proposed to set up 11 Medical Colleges and 12 Post Graduate Medical Sciences and
Research in the existing ESI Hospitals having 300 beds in the States.
# Change in the pattern of reimbursement of medical care expenditure to the States: ESI
Corporation has taken a decision to reimburse the administrative expenditure incurred by the
State Governments on actual basis without ceiling subject to fulfilment of certain conditions.
This will ensure State Governments to post the medical and para medical staff in ESI
Hospitals and dispensaries as per norms and standards of ESI Corporation and will help in
providing proper medical care facilities to ESI beneficiaries. Further, the ceiling on medical
care reimbursement to the States is being increased from Rs.1000/- to Rs.1200/- w.e.f.
01.04.2009.
# Hospital Development Committees: Hospital Development Committees have been constituted
in all ESI Hospitals and have been given adequate administrative and financial powers for
taking decisions for improvement in medical care facilities in hospitals and adjoining
dispensaries.
