LIC PENSIONERS CHRONICLE

Dear PG,

I cannot afford to keep mum when caustic & sarcastic comments are made about activists & more so those who have shouldered very heavy responsibility for pretty long 15 years & more bringing glory & multifold achievements & benefits to all pensioners over this long period .  This is all with sweat & toil & continued followup & public relations at all levels & more so with Top Management & other personalities who matter. 

I don’t believe in dull black & blue single uniform colour throughout.  Readability becomes a casualty,reader needs easy, comfortable print & any reader appreciates, if the writer who is the real Contributor to radiate news & info on a variety of subjects so vital for the benefit of all pensioners .Such highlighted colours lend charm & if only the reader goes thro that quintessence atleast, it will suffice. Further, when we who have toiled & moiled eternally for so long, without losing interest or sheen, that needs encouragement & appreciation & not a dig at any time. Umpteen kudos & praise from all corners I have received all along & in fact, that serves as a fuel & inspiration. We feel elated when  large number of pensioners enquire or approach us for ever so many issues.That is eminently mirrored in My 98^th Series of Pensioners Emails & Feedback released on dot Fortnightly.

It has become a habit with Sri MSM to indulge in such sarcasm; that is to be abhorred. I only wish he is not a Scorpio as, scorpion loves to sting anytime, anywhere.  In the land of the Mahatma to which we belong, let us not pollute the sacred soil with such mudslinging,directly or indirectly. I have atleast a Banner, a Federation AIRIEF, a Logo, with a rudder & a compass.  Let us not go too far in that wrong direction to precipitate matters.

I only pray he follows the dictum of his worthy mentor Sri CH Mahadevan who has stated today that even if any difference of opinion exists, he shall never write anything adverse or cast aspersions on any person. That is the real hallmark of nobility, strength of mind & stability of character.

For the sake of clarity, I include the following by reproducing what I wrote then. Readers can come to their own conclusions.All through, right from AIRIEF Resolution, Cashless service ought to be made universal is adequately stressed.

 I) Dear friends,     

MediClaim Cashless service,allied issues,premium deductions from pension etc

A}1) I followed up my talk with LIC Chairman on 2nd February, with EDP on 11/2/2015 .I briefly narrated the issues & concerns faced by pensioners for long. While introduction of a worthy mediclaim scheme of Family Floater Policy with revised higher Basic SA ,also eligible for 75 % subsidy & Optional SA stretching upto Rs20 lacs. was laudable, & recent COCircular dt 17 Dec 2014 so quickly following the heels of New FFP,giving yet another opportunity to all employees/pensioners to opt for higher OSA if they want, & to convey their final choice before 28 Feb 2015 was equally commendable.

I informed EDP that for years we have been stressing that mere lipservice to Cashless service does not serve any purpose. In reality, it is a pity it has not taken off for Employees & Pensioners,as basic requirements of Ecard by TPA or Id card by LIC does not contain OSA,without which, admission is difficult, golden hours for pensioner & patient crucial but made uncertain without PROPER evidence for TPA, Hospitals .This need to be remedied immediately

2)I added that many pensioners have died ,are dying & number of Family Pensioners have multiplied as the proportion of FP to RP has risen from 18% to 38% in the last few years.Sadder still will it be,if the Sum Assured risk disappears, on account of pensioners/family pensioners , for genuine reasons not able to pay the full mediclaim premium before 31 March every year.Is it not necessary,therefore that same consideration by which Employees were given the facility of 12 monthly deductions of premium from Salary, so too Pensioners be graciously given now atleast SAME treatment,so badly needed at advanced age, which will earn for LIC goodwill & gratitude from entire pensioners fraternity

3) i)I conveyed that recently we learnt that New India is prepared to include under CASHLESS more critical illnesses & approve of the same but no letter has gone to them.I briefly hinted the pathetic condition of Sri RSAhuja, ZM Retd,whose wife went for total knee replacement,uncertainty & rejection in hospital/TPA & atlast intervention of Sr Executive NI helped receive cashless facility.His letter to Chief P, CO,is an eyeopener & so CO Per can send a forceful communication to NI to open up cashless for more critical illnesses of organ transplant like knee joints, hip replacement & of any such nature ,brain hamehorrage & much more.

ii)I brought to EDP notice that, though Cashless is allowed ONLY for earmarked diseases of around 6 severe ailments,even for other operations,pensioners have to spend out of their pockets a very heavy amount & with this meager pension,find it almost impossible to fund the stream of tests, medicines,room rent, nursing charges, Surgeon’s fees & post-operation expenses etc.Many other worries remain in such cases for the family.LIC as an enlightened Employer must empathise with pensioners & persuade NI to makethis Cashless service universal, as lot of delay is there to grant approval,many items disallowed too,& after admission from Discharge Voucher yet another delay,This is too much to bear for poor pensioners who are hungry obviously to get reimbursement of amount spent .In fact, contrary to negative Exclusion Clauses,which deprive of facility,this must contain Positive Inclusion Clauses so that ,because of intensity & severity of ailment or illness,Cashless must be automatically granted & patient allowed admission with no hassles.

4)I emphasized that already talks must be going on to finalise FFP for 2015-16 & so all these issues must be fully addressed & resolved to suit reality.It is well-nigh impossible to get Pre-authorisation Request form jointly by pensioner/beneficiary & pay all non-medical expenses before discharge .

B}5)To leave no stone unturned, I wanted to finally remind Secretary P & on 18thFebruary, I could contact her.I told her that they all were busy with Parliamentary Committee perhaps.She said she was on long leave ,resumed & shall do the needful.I delineated the above problem of cashless service for all hospitalization to be taken up vigorously to benefit employees & pensioners,as it has not taken off at all.
Further, the deductions of premium must follow same pattern as for employees.She said 12 months deduction may not be possible.I intervened to tell her that atleast 3 or 4 monthly deductions will help some residual pension & it should not be 2 ,as net pension will be very low in many cases. (6,7 & 8 not repeated)

Also AIRIEF 9TH GC Resolution dt 16 October, 2014:
MediClaim Cashless service : One more option:

i) & ii)not repeated

iii)This GC brings to the notice of LIC that, though Cashless is allowed ONLY for earmarked diseases of around 6 severe ailments,even for other operations,pensioners have to spend out of their pockets a very heavy amount & with this meager pension,find it almost impossible to fund the stream of tests, medicines,room rent, nursing charges, Surgeon’s fees & post-operation expenses etc.Many other worries remain in such cases for the family.LIC as an enlightened Employer must empathise with pensioners & persuade NI to make this Cashless service universal, as lot of delay is there to grant approval,many items disallowed too,& after admission from Discharge Voucher yet another delay,This is too much to bear for poor pensioners who are hungry obviously to get reimbursement of amount spent

Greetings,
RBKISHORE,VP,AIRIEF